BOOST FOR YOUTH WE NEED A PLAN

The Dec. 7 letter “Youth program” says that, with the Foster Youth for Independence program, “No other administration has done for these young people what the Trump administration has done.”

Actually, a whole lot of people from the public and private sectors — and from both political parties — have contributed to helping foster youth. In 1999, President Clinton signed the Foster Care Independence Act, which Congress passed unanimously. It provides funds for states to assist young people transitioning out of foster care.

In 2014, current and former foster youth partnered with ACTION Ohio and the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare to work with HUD career staff to create a program to address the specific problem of homelessness for youth leaving foster care. The result was the FYI program of 2019. As our new president has said, America does great things when we do them together.

– Ralph Remis, Miami

– Kenneth Karger, Kendall

The virus is stampeding, but vaccines are racing to the rescue. Florida’s Gov. DeSantis should create order out of the distribution chaos by crafting a detailed priority system for immunizations. There are choices that must be made. When will my 92-year-old father be inoculated? Will my two severely immunocompromised brothers-inlaw in their 50s get priority?

I am 64 and have suffered severe lung injuries and am having other health issues. Where do I fit in the schedule? Are we before or after grocery workers, teachers and police officers without special medical needs?

If DeSantis gives us a schedule, imperfect as it may be, we will understand how long we need to hunker down.

Leadership does not have to be perfect, but it must be sincere, transparent and evidence-based. I ask DeSantis to, please, lead.

– Dirk Lorenzen, Coral Gables