Making It Happen Foundation » 2022

Forever Family Friday – Katedra

April 22, 2022

“Aging Out”…those two words truly break my heart. Those two words basically mean that sooner than later a kid in foster care will be on their own. They will suddenly be with no family to love, support and help guide them. They will have none of the safety nets that most kids their age enjoy and take for granted. There will be no parents to help them financially. There will be no grandparents that slide them extra money for gas or date night. There are no this and no that and they face obstacles and uncertainties that we can’t even imagine. This is why I am so passionate about these older kids that are inching closer and closer to aging out. They deserve hope, love and opportunity. They deserve a family. Please meet Katedra. She deserves a family. She deserves a chance.

Katedra is 15 and lives in South Carolina. She is dynamic and has a zest for life. “I am brilliant, amazing and talented!” When asked what she considers the most amazing thing about her personality Katedra says “I never give up.” She enjoys swimming, painting, riding bikes and traveling. Vegetables and mac and cheese are her favorite foods. Katedra hopes to have a career in law enforcement and become a police officer. This is wonderful! We need more passionate officers! She is seeking a family that will love and accept her. That is not a tall order. Can that be you? Do you know someone who can? Please help us find Katedra her forever family. For more information please contact Tori Hackett at [email protected]

Mike Baker Photography https://www.scheartgallery.org/content/katedra-c

Forever Family Friday – Jason

April 18, 2022

Happy Good Friday everyone! Hard to believe it’s Easter weekend. Where does time go? This is probably my favorite holiday. To me Easter is the foundation of Christianity. The resurrection of the Son of God. It’s far more than Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies (although I love them all!). It is the most important weekend of my faith. Jesus died for us so we may know how much God loves us. Christ asked God toward the end “Father there must be a better way?” When you look at these kids I post each week…do you say in your mind “there must be a better way than me getting involved?? Not me Lord. My family is already complete. I don’t have the money. My house is too small. We don’t have time.” Are those the questions you ask yourself? For me Easter teaches us that God can write a new story…one we never dreamed of! Most kids in foster care aren’t truly genuinely loved and cared for BUT God can write a new story for them. Together we can help them finish strong. We can help them find their forever family. What a beautiful ending to their story. My prayer is that we can help Jason find his forever family. What a wonderful weekend to try and make that happen…Easter weekend. It breaks my heart to hear he is “just hoping the right family comes along.” Ugh! What??? Can that right family be YOU? Or someone you know? Can you help??

Please meet Jason from Mississippi. He plans to change the world with a new invention one day, and maybe be a famous basketball player…on the side! He has a love for the game of basketball, but video games and board games are fun too. He enjoys interacting with others. He likes the beach and loves seafood, especially shrimp. One day he would like to fly to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower. Me too Jason! He describes himself as a good kid who is just hoping the right family comes along.

He wants a family who will understand him and what he has been through. He said to know he is loved and understood would be amazing. He would like a mom and a dad and siblings his age or older. Happy Easter Everyone! Hallelujah! He is risen. For more info please contact [email protected]. Chris Grillis Photography

Forever Family Friday – Analea

April 8, 2022

The journey of many kids in foster care is hard for most of us to really imagine. I know we think we can but the reality is that we have no idea. The trauma, neglect, abuse, poverty and lack of so so many things is a tragedy! If nothing else I pray that each week when you read about these amazing kids that you will develop a sense of love and compassion for those that have not experienced the same security and privileges that you may have. These kids have experienced heartbreak and hardships to no fault of their own. It’s up to us to make the effort to help them find their forever family. We have the opportunity to be the reason these kids smile again. What a beautiful thing to be a part of. Please meet Analea. We have a chance to help her find a family that will provide her with love and a home.

Analea is kind and creative and has a big heart and big dreams! She would love a family that can provide stability and unconditional love in good times and bad. She is an avid reader and wants to author books in her future. Hmmm…Maybe I could ask her to help me write my next book?! Analea creates original jewelry, necklaces and earrings, that she has sold online! Intelligent and diligent, Analea has worked hard to catch up in school, setting goals for herself and meeting them. Her favorite subjects are English, History and Reading. Analea shows wisdom beyond her years. She has kept a positive outlook on life with her bright, clear perspective; Analea believes everything happens for a reason, and she takes pride in her emotional growth and resilience!

Analea’s friends would describe her as “determined, smart and quiet” but once she opens up, she loves to talk about everything. Analea enjoys all types of music and watching movies. She would also love to travel to China someday because “there’s so much to see there and the culture is cool.” She states that she hopes to “be the best me that I can be.” Can YOU be that family for Analea? Do you know someone who can? Please pray for and share Analea’s information with your friends and family. Please contact Heart Gallery of Tampa at 813-314-2021. Or DM us!

VIEW ANALEA'S WISH LIST

Forever Family Friday – Tyquan

April 4, 2022

Happy Friday everyone! And happy April 1st! You know…I sat down with every intent to write my #ForeverFamilyFriday post about April Fool’s but as I started typing the words and looking down at them…I suddenly realized there was no humor to be found in desiring a forever family. It’s no joking matter when it comes to wanting a home and security and happiness. Kids in foster care don’t need pranks and hoaxes…they need stability and love. To no fault of their own they are in undesirable situations. They don’t deserve to be on the receiving end of bad April Fool’s joke, because it is not a joke. It is their reality. We need you to help us because we can not sit back and wait and hope that a family will find these kids. We have to get up and search and move mountains if we have to and find the families. Remember there are no unwanted kids just unfounded families. Tyquan needs us to move mountains! Can you join us in trying?

Tyquan is 15 years old and is from Georgia. He is a sweet, neat, and sometimes a shy teen who loves the outdoors and spending time with family and friends. He enjoys playing video games, football, and dodgeball. He also enjoys playing on a tablet, listening to pop music (Ariana Grande is a favorite artist), and movies. At school, where he earns good grades, he is well-behaved, and gets along well with the other kids, Tyquan’s favorite subject is science. When asked what his perfect day is he said “doing this interview and looking for someone to adopt me.” This breaks my heart. His favorite foods are hot wings, fries and tacos. Tyquan said he wants a family “to love me the way I am, and who will let me go to school and help me graduate.”

Tyquan needs a loving adoptive family who will give him the attention, support, encouragement, structure, and nurturing environment he needs to continue to thrive and reach his goals. He has two sisters who have been planned for separately and he would like to maintain relationship with them. For more information please contact Rebecca at [email protected]. For Tyquan’s video please click here https://americaskidsbelong.org/project/tyquan/

Archive: April 22, 2022

Forever Family Friday – Katedra

Forever Family Friday – Jason

Forever Family Friday – Analea

Forever Family Friday – Tyquan