Category: Forever Family Friday

Forever Family Friday – Jacob and Rylin

May 12, 2023

Happy #ForeverFamilyFriday everyone! This has been a week of shared stories that have really made me realize that we are so doing the right thing looking for families for kids in foster care. I’ve always thought I’ve needed to light a fire under folks to get them interested and involved but my goal is to now light a fire within you. I want you to have a burning desire to help these kids that are doing without…without hope, love, security, basic necessities, opportunities…I could go on and on. I could tell you about the young man this week that got a pair of new shoes and his first statement was that now he would fit in at school. He would have shoes that actually fit him. Not a pair of Nikes – just shoes that fit. Or the young lady that aged out of the system and through a church and some amazing folks got an apartment and with tears in her eyes said, “this is the best and nobody will tell me I have to leave and I have 10 minutes to get my stuff together.“ Those stories just physically make me so angry. Shoes that fit and a place to sleep that is your own. What is going on in this world? 

 

Did you know every 2 minutes a kid enters the foster care system in the US. Every 2 minutes! These heartbreaking stories and statistics are not going away but we can do our best to come together as a community and try to find loving homes for these kids. Together we can make a difference. Please allow me to introduce you to Jacob and Rylin. They deserve not to be a statistic. They deserve hope, love and opportunity.

Jacob (12) and Rylin (7) are brothers from AZ. They love to play with army men, dinosaurs and cars. They both enjoy technology, gaming, puzzles, and board games. Outside they like to play basketball and dart guns.

Jacob and Rylin would benefit from a loving, nurturing, structured family that has the time and attention to meet their needs. They need parents to be involved in any needed services they may have. This sounds like a list that should be for every child. This is not a special list exclusive to these boys. All children deserve parents to be involved.

For more info:  [email protected] or contact us! Thank you! ❤️



#FosterCare
#Love  
#Adoption   
#NationalFosterCareMonth 
#Brothers


Forever Family Friday – Qwinshon

May 8, 2023

Happy #ForeverFamilyFriday y’all. Did you know that May is foster care awareness month? I know we are just a few days into May but I hope that you will take a moment at some point this month to use your voice and your platform to bring awareness to the 400,000 plus kids in the foster care system. There have been millions of kids over the years that have been affected by our flawed and struggling foster care system and we have an opportunity this month to try to do something to make a difference in the lives of those vulnerable kids. I’m so thankful for each and everyone of you that are reading this and are journeying along with me each Friday. I understand that many of you can’t adopt, but as I have said before, there is so much that you can do to be a part of making a difference in the lives of kids in foster care. Something as simple as cooking a meal for a foster care family or send them a note of encouragement, or plan an activity for kids in foster care. We can serve them, support them, and help care for them, even if we cannot adopt. Here is a young man that is worth supporting, serving and caring for.

Please allow me to introduce you to Qwinshon from Georgia. He is 16 years old and is helpful and passionate. He enjoys animals, swimming, and drawing. In school, where he gets good grades, his favorite subject is English Language Arts. After he graduates from high school he plans on attending technical school and ultimately owning his own business – some new type of technology! That’s so awesome! Qwinshon is loving and likes taking care of the elderly, and helping people with things. He is proud of himself for being loving, caring and thankful.

Qwinshon said his greatest wish is to have the best family which would include simply spending time and seeing that they love him. Oh my heart. He needs a loving family who will give him the attention, support, encouragement, structure and nurturing environment to continue to thrive and achieve his goals. Can you be that family for Qwinshon? For more information, please contact Rebecca at [email protected]
Thank You! ❤️

 



#FosterCare
#Love  
#Adoption   
#NationalFosterCareMonth


 

Forever Family Friday – Jamarcus

April 28, 2023

Happy #ForeverFamilyFriday y’all. Have you ever stopped just for a minute and thought about the fact that adopting a child out of the foster care system is less about getting a child for your family but it is more about giving your family for a child. Read that again if you need to. Children belong in families. It’s a pure and simple fact. Look, not everyone is called to be a foster parent. Trust me…I get it. It’s a little chaotic at times and takes you out of your comfort zone. But you can offer your support and encouragement to those in the fight and these kids are worth fighting for. They are worth the hours and hours spent each week on searching and vetting and praying and writing posts and us annoying you guys to join us in trying to find families for them. Here is a young man that is worth giving your family too. He needs us.

Please allow me to introduce you to Jamarcus. He is 14 years old and lives in Tennessee. He enjoys playing football, quarterback especially, and would like to continue to play when he grows up. He likes basketball as well! His friends would describe him as someone who will not let others down. One thing he would like people to know is that he cares for other people. That melts my heart.

To Jamarcus family means cheering up your kids, putting a roof over their head and clothes on their back. Pretty pure and simple! Can you be that family for Jamarcus? Do you know anyone who could be? Please contact AmericasKidsBelong.org or DM us!

Thank You ❤️

Click here for Jamarcus’ video!



#FosterCare
#Love  
#Adoption  
#Dependable
#Caring
#ForeverFamilyFriday
#FamiliesDontHaveToMatch

 

Forever Family Friday – Aron

April 24, 2023

Sing this song with me… “Jesus loves the little children… all the children of the world…red and yellow, black and white they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” Most of us sang that song growing up or sing it to our grandchildren now. And these little children of the world…these foster children are precious in His sight and should be in ours as well. They deserve to be loved and feel safe. These little ones are collectively our responsibility! That means everyone, not just someone else, but me and you. We are responsible to nurture and provide for them. Let me introduce you to a young man that needs our support and advocacy.

Aron is 13 years old and lives in Alabama. He enjoys football and baseball. He loves swimming and hopes to go to Hawaii one day! He wants to live on a farm, be adventurous, and learn new things with a family. Aron has a nurturing heart and often wants to be a caregiver for others. That’s the epitome of kindness.
For more information on Aron please contact [email protected]
Click here for Aron’s video!



#FosterCare
#Love  
#Adoption  
#ForeverFamily
#Nuturing

Forever Family Friday – Jasmine and Jacob

April 21, 2023

We are all aware of organizations, philanthropic groups and even individuals that are in the business of making wishes come. We read about kids that go to Disney or meet a famous person, or sports teams that get new uniforms, or kids that receive scholarships. We see and read about these sweet stories and they make us feel all warm and fuzzy. At least they do me. So today I have wishes from some amazing kids that I would love to be able to make happen. They wish for a stable, loving family where they can stay together. They wish to go to the beach. They wish to simply spend a whole day together with her future family and laugh and eat pizza. All I can say is wow. Guys this is so crazy that in this country kids are wishing, hoping and praying for things like pizza and parents that love them. This list should be a given, not a wish! We can actually right this wrong but it’s going to take all of us pulling the wagon in the same direction. Can you help us make the dreams come true for these kids?

Allow me to introduce Jasmine,14 and Jacob, 9 from Florida. Jasmine is the social butterfly while Jacob prefers to stay in the background. They share a keen love and curiosity for the world and its creatures. Both say their favorite subject in school is science. Jasmine loves marine biology, traveling and learning about other cultures. Jacob says he wants to be a vet when he grows up. Jasmine wants to be the first female president of the United States, and an astronomist, or a football coach! Whoa! All are amazing! Jacob is interested in learning about the solar system and planets, and he also loves music, singing and playing with Legos.
Jasmine and Jacob are kind and empathetic. Jacob is generous and giving while Jasmine is loving and caring. Both imagine a stable, loving family where they can be together. Jacob would like to go to the beach and eat pizza while Jasmine wants to simply spend a whole day together with her future family. Jasmine feels close to God and hopes for a Christian family. How beautiful. Please talk about these kids, share on your social media, lift them up in prayer. ❤️
Heart Gallery of Tampa 813-390-5345. 📸Alicia Johnson



#FosterCare
#Love  
#Adoption  
#ForeverFamily  
#Siblings

 

Forever Family Friday – Deangela

April 10, 2023

Happy Good Friday…Happy Forever Family Friday and Happy Easter Weekend! That’s a bunch of happy in one sentence. I love Easter and all that it represents. It is a time to celebrate the hope we have. Hope from the resurrection that you can have life from death. Comfort that such beauty can come from heartbreak and tragedy. Because of Easter we can be assured of our future. I am forever grateful for what Jesus did for me and I pray the kids who don’t have a forever family know there is hope. I pray that they know they are loved and valued and their stories can have a beautiful ending. Please allow me to introduce you to Deangela. She deserves a #ForeverFamily and all that comes with it from the fun frenzied egg hunts to a house full of family and friends celebrating their Easter traditions and the resurrection!

Deangela is 14 years old and lives in Arizona. She thrives being in an environment with activities that keep her busy, especially sports. In her downtime she likes to read, listen to music and watch tv. McDonalds, Cold Stone and Barros Pizza are her favorite places to go out to eat. Deangela would benefit from an active and structured family. Routine is important and she likes to have attention. Being a part of family activities helps Deangela to feel included. Can you be that family for Deangela? Any help would be greatly appreciated. And have a blessed Easter! ✝️❤️🐑🕊️💐🐣
For more information please contact Heather at [email protected]



#FosterCare
#Love  
#Adoption  
#ForeverFamily 
#Easter

 

Forever Family Friday – Connor

March 31, 2023

There are many many hard conversations that parents have had to have this week with their kids. From the horrific school shooting in Nashville to deadly storms in Mississippi to unexpected illnesses and many problems none of us will ever even know about…the bad news at times seems almost too much to bear. Yet as a parent, counselor, coach, teacher or whatever the title might be, we often work tirelessly to help kids process their feelings and emotions caused by these heartbreaking events. We try to assure kids they are safe and secure and to remind them of the hope we have. But for kids that are in foster care their lives are often filled with fear and so many uncertainties, to no fault of their own, and they are not provided the structure and security and comfort and love that they so deserve. So many of these kids don’t have people in their lives that they can go to to navigate their feelings and emotions and circumstances of our crazy world. There’s no one to assure them as they lay their head on their pillow each night. To love them and remind them as they walk out the door in the morning that someone will be there for them that night. I want so badly for the thousands of kids “in the system” to have security, hope, love and opportunity. I want this for Connor.

Please allow me to introduce you to Connor. He is 14 and lives in Alabama. When he gets older he would like to go to law school and become a lawyer! Connor enjoys football, video games, and reading. Alaska is on his list for vacations. He’d like to climb mountains and go skiing. But also he’d like to visit Antarctica because not many travel there, and he’d like to see penguins. He describes himself as funny, nice and loyal. And he says he can pick up new skills easily. Can you help Connor navigate this crazy world and help him fulfill his dreams? Can you provide him the security and love he so desperately needs? For information on Connor please contact [email protected]
📸 Olivia B Photography
Click here to watch Connor’s video. https://heartgalleryalabama.com/profile/conner-k/



#FosterCare
#Love  
#Adoption  
#ForeverFamily 
#CrazyWorld

 

Forever Family Friday – Adam

March 31, 2023

Children enter into the foster care system by the hundreds of thousands each year. Read that sentence again. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS! That is a staggering amount. For roughly every 1000 children in the US, 3 to 4 kids enter the foster care system…every year! The majority of kids are “in the system” 1-2 years, and over 10% are in the system over 5 years. It makes me so sad to think about all the things that these kids miss or never even experience because they have no family. We have to do something to stop these kids from becoming a statistic. It’s happening at an alarming rate. We can start here. Please allow me to introduce you to Adam. We have to do all we can do to try and make a difference in his life. He deserves a forever family.

Adam is 16 and lives in Arizona. He is always willing to help others. Adam enjoys playing football for his high school and is looking forward to trying karate in the future. Watching action movies is one of his favorite things to do, especially ones involving superheroes. He likes playing video games too.

Adam will do best with a family who is structured and reliable. He enjoys spending quality time with people in his life and values one-on-one time and communication. Adam is at a time in his live where he is young and able to learn so much from those around him, but also flourishing in his own character. For more information please reach out to Heather at [email protected] or touch base with us! Thank you! ❤️



#FosterCare
#Love  
#Adoption  
#Reliable  
#Structure

 

 

Forever Family Friday – Kishia

March 17, 2023

Top of the morning to you all or should I just say Happy St. Patrick’s Day? I mean… you guys know the name Sean Tuohy is very Irish so we totally embrace all things St. Patrick’s day! From the green and white to leprechauns and shamrocks it’s all about St. Paddy’s Day in the Tuohy household! This fun day is celebrated in so many places with parades and street parties and all kind of fun festivities! Chicago even turns their river green. But today I’d love to celebrate it by using all the luck that this day offers to a beautiful young lady to help her find her forever family. St. Patrick himself would agree with me on this one.

Please allow me to introduce you to Kishia. She is 11 years old and lives in Georgia. She is smart, talkative, inquisitive, helpful, friendly and wants to be a teacher when she grows up – or maybe a superhero and save the world! Softball is her favorite sport and in high school she would like to be a member of her school’s dance team.  Kishia feels accomplished when she helps people, and her dream is helping homeless people. I love this!

Kishia needs a loving adoptive family who will give her the attention, support, encouragement, structure and nurturing environment she needs to continue to thrive and reach her goals. She simply wants “parents to love me.” Her family will also need to support her desire to maintain her relationship with her brother who has planned for separately. Breaks my heart. Can you help us find Kishia her forever family? ☘️ For more info contact [email protected]

Click here to see Kishia’s video https://americaskidsbelong.org/project/kishia/



#FosterCare
#Love  
#Adoption
#GeorgiaKids 
#Family

 

 

 

 

Forever Family Friday – Andrew

March 13, 2023

Happy #ForeverFamilyFriday everyone. Did you know there is a great need for foster parents in our country? The needs are truly at epidemic level to help kids in foster care find loving and stable homes. And listen, I know as well as anyone reading this that parenting in general is hard and foster parenting is no different! It has its own set of unique challenges. BUT – it also has its own set of rewards and benefits. Foster parenting allows us to help another human…to love and support them…to come along side them and help them get over the hurdles and to help them heal. To offer another what we have been given. I say it all the time it’s not for everyone, but for those who step into this receive some of life’s sweetest rewards. These kids deserve someone who will never give up on them. Can you be that someone? Please allow me to introduce you to someone so worth receiving all that we have to offer.

 

Meet Anthony! He is 17 and lives in Florida. Anthony is intelligent, curious and perceptive – he’s a go with the flow type of person. Incredibly resourceful and resilient, Anthony is goal oriented and focused. Anthony loves animals and hopes to study veterinary medicine in his future, but with his ROTC background he is also interested in the military. With his easy going tolerance and humor, Anthony has many friends and makes new ones quickly.

In school his favorite subjects are weight training and art. His caretakers believe Anthony can accomplish “Anything he sets his mind to with the right people in his corner.” Anthony is wise beyond his years – yet is still a boy ready for his forever family. Anthony says “I want a family who will make me feel wanted.” That’s heartbreaking. Any help you can give in helping us find Anthony a forever family would be appreciated!

For more information please contact Heart Gallery of Tampa 813-390-5345. Thank you! Photo by Arianna Bennett

#Parenting 
#FosterParent
#FosterCare
#Love  
#Adopt

 

 

 

 

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