Making It Happen Foundation

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/

Forever Family Friday – Caprice’ana, Ja’Quone and Ja’Vone

March 30, 2022

The dictionary definition of adoption is the building of family through the process of concentrated, dedicated, enduring love rather than biology. Enduring love is something that so many of us have to offer but are unsure of or afraid to take the step of offering it. Sometimes you have to take the step. You have to get out of your comfort zone and take a risk. Sometimes you have to listen to your heart if it is calling out to you to provide a home for a child. These kids are worth the risk. They deserve to be special to someone. They deserve a family and a home and happiness. They deserve enduring love. Please allow me to introduce you to 3 siblings that are amazing and want nothing more than a forever family. They deserve enduring love.

Caprice’ana (16) and her twin brothers Ja’Qone and Ja’Vone (17) live in Mississippi. Caprice’ana is a friendly and out-going girl who knows her own mind. She loves to sing and dance. She likes school and her favorite subject is math. One day she would like to travel around the world. She would like to have a family that is kind and goes to church together. Ja’Qone considers himself a nice and caring person. He enjoys playing video games, but also likes to play sports, especially basketball. He loves dogs because they love you back and protect you. Twin Ja’Vone says his best trait is that he gets along well with others and has good friends. He enjoys playing basketball and staying active too. He would like to travel one day, and maybe even be a truck driver so he can see a lot of the country. He will not have trouble finding that job! Ideally, Caprice’ana and her brothers will be adopted together. In addition to Ja’vone and Ja’Qone, they have an older brother, Jamie.

Can you open your heart and your home to these siblings? Can someone you know do that? We’d love to hear from you. For more information on these kids please get in touch with [email protected] Or DM us! Thank you!!

#ForeverFamilyFriday

Forever Family Friday – McKaya

March 21, 2022

Provide care and love…Create a stable environment…Build up their self confidence…Spend quality time with them…Share morals, values and have conversations about making good choices…Help them make tough decisions…Help with money management…Coach them up…Empower them to be all that they can be…Teach them to be kind, loving, inspiring and giving to others. Are you asking yourself what in the world is this crazy lady talking about?!?! Well…I was just sitting here watching March Madness basketball games and thinking about my post today and thinking about last night with my own kids…we were calling each other, texting each other and talking about our brackets and the upsets that happened in all the games and then I just started thinking wow just that little moment of fun family interaction is not experienced by most kids in foster care. I then started processing a list in my mind of what providing and parenting is all about to me and how foster kids miss out on so much of that. And to me that is what shapes and molds us as individuals. And that this beautiful young lady that I’m posting today probably has not experienced much of it either. It’s heartbreaking to me. McKaya, to no fault of her own, needs to experience EVERYTHING I listed above and more. Please let me tell you about her!

She is 16 years old and lives in Alabama. She is very inquisitive and fun loving. McKaya’s perfect day would be a fun pool party with swimming and lots of smiles and laughter. After graduation she would like to be a hairstylist. When asked what a family means to her she said someone who “cares, listens, holds hands even when going through something.” With a family she would love to do activities like shopping, getting her nails done and maybe even vacay in Florida. I love all of that. If she had a new room she would decorate it with Hello Kitty. I do love me some Hello Kitty. I think I have found a new friend.

McKaya will thrive in a stable, structured family that will provide her with unconditional love. Can you help? For more information please contact Daliscia at [email protected] Photographed by Stephanie Fisher Photography.

Forever Family Friday – Evan

March 7, 2022

I know everyone has a lot on their plates right now and I hate to keep piling on these request because good grief things in this world are crazy enough. I hate to even turn the TV on because it’s all so heartbreaking. But I need a tiny favor from you. I need you to just share this post with one person. That’s it…Look…I’m not asking you to cook a meal or pay a visit to anyone or make a donation or even make a call. I just need you to help me advocate for these kids. We need them to be seen. We need them to know they are deserving and worthy and valuable. The more we share the post.. the more people will see it and the better the opportunity for someone to look at one of the pictures and feel a tug at their heart. I pray someone looks at Evan’s picture this week and gets that feeling of wanting to support…to protect and to make Evan a part of their family.

Evan is 14 years old and lives in Arizona. He is adventurous and curious and does not shy away from learning new things! He enjoys being active and playing basketball, and loves to learn. Evan enjoys going to the park, playing sports and paintball. Evan’s adventurous side makes him fearless and curious about trying foods from all different cultures. His favorites are sushi, barbecue and Mexican foods. He would like to visit Mongolian Grill for a special occasion. He has a particular interest in Drama class. Evan would benefit from a family that provides unconditional love and boundaries. Every child deserves unconditional love. Can you provide that for Evan? Please share Evan with someone you know! He needs all of us to advocate for him!

For questions and additional information on Evan please contact Heather at [email protected].

Forever Family Friday – Haley

March 4, 2022

Almost one third of the youth who “age out” of foster care become homeless. This is not the first time we’ve discussed this. Homeless…most of us can’t even relate to that. Living on the streets…sleeping in cardboard boxes under bridges or trying to find a homeless shelter every single night…eating out of garbage cans at fast food restaurants…bathing or sponging off in gas station bathrooms…I could go on and on. I’ve witnessed each and everyone of those scenarios more times than I care to remember. And it is literally thrust upon these kids because of no fault of their own. They have little to no stability and love is rare. They just want someone to call family! Someone to be there for them. This is why we need you. I know I bug you guys every Friday but you are our difference makers. We have changed the lives of many of these kids by talking about them and sharing them in our social media. Here’s another amazing human that needs our help. Please meet Haley. She has a few years to go before she ages out, so I am prayerful and hopeful for her! We need to help Haley find her forever family.

Haley is 13 and lives in Tennessee. Bubbly and energetic, Haley wants to be a teacher or a photographer when she grows up. One day she would like to visit Paris and see the Eifel Tower! Me too Haley! She likes playing volleyball and basketball, and has a huge love for dogs and horses. Math is her favorite subject as she finds it easy. Haley enjoys singing, reading and has an interest in cheerleading. Family and friends are some of the things that are most important to her. She describes herself as caring and loving. She cares about people, “even if they don’t care about me.” How heartbreaking is that sentiment. Please, please, please share Haley! For more information please contact americaskidsbelong.org, or DM us!

Forever Family Friday – Jacob

February 18, 2022

Happy #ForeverFamilyFriday everyone. Look at this kid. OMG…That smile melts my heart. You know…There are two things that many of you continually ask me and that is questions about “the process” and “the cost“ of adoption from foster care. I’m so happy that these kids don’t see the questions that I am asked. And the questions are not asked out of anything but a need for knowledge but these kids don’t need anymore uncertainty or insecurity. They need to be reminded they are so worth “the process” of adoption. And yes…it is a process BUT all these kids are worth the process. And as far as the cost… every single kid we post on Friday is far more valuable than any cost that would be associated with adopting them. We can not give up on these kids in foster care. Most of the kids have had enough disappointments, failures and setbacks to last them a life time. We have to remind them that they matter. We need to encourage and uplift them. We need to ensure that they understand that they are worth the process! Please meet Jacob! He’s the one with the beautiful smile. He’s valuable and amazing and because of no fault of his is in foster care.

Jacob is 16 and lives in Alabama. He is a very creative young man who loves to draw. He also enjoys video games and robotics. Jacob has been on a robotics team and often comes up with ideas for inventions! An ideal family he said would be one that loves each other and helps each other out. When asked about his greatest accomplishment he said graduating high school in 2 years! Can you be the family that can help him reach his goal and cross that finish line? If not please share this post with your friends and family. For more info please contact [email protected] at the Alabama Heart Gallery! Thank You ❤️

Forever Family Friday – Nevaya

February 11, 2022

You are loved beyond measure. Love you to the moon and back. Love you more than words. Love you forever and always. Love you to infinity and beyond. Love you the goodest in the whole wide world. I could go on and on. As a parent we each have our own term of endearment that we say to our children and family members each day. I certainly did. To me February is about love and friendship and giving and caring and being the reason someone smiles. It’s about loving one another as God loved us. I so much want that love for these kids that we post each week. We were honored to get to have several of the kids we have posted with us this past week at Disney and oh my … the question I asked myself so many times is why??? Why them??? These kids were awesome and amazing and just wanted to be loved. Is that too much to ask. I feel like I am preaching to the choir. But there was so much affirmation that the time we put into this is time well spent. I am so very thankful for every person that is reading this right now. We need you. These kids need all of us. Please Keep sharing these kids with your friends and ask them to share them with their friends. Share Nevaya! She needs a Forever Family! She needs to be loved and cherished.

Nevaya is a special soul – creative, artistic, strong willed and a sweet individual who is 16 and from Florida. She longs for connection and would blossom with a trusted parent. She loves creating art, working on her iPad and playing board games. Nevaya appreciates simple moments of togetherness, going for ice cream. She dreams of seeing snow! She loves all types of music. Can you help? Please contact Heart Gallery of Tampa at 813-314-2021 or DM us! Thank You! Click here for more info!

VIEW NEVAYA'S WISH LIST

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