Category: Forever Family Friday

Forever Family Friday – Zahkia

As many of you know we post a good amount of kids that are at risk of aging out of foster care. It breaks my heart. However, I am hopeful that together we can change their future. If I could just get all of my followers to be advocates for theses kid for 15 minutes a week and help us spread the word about who they are…what they like…what they dream of doing. Just that alone would be a game changer. To have conversations with your friends and family about the kids that we post each week would be even more helpful than I think you could imagine. The older kids’ statistics are dire. These kids face tough odds. The cards are stacked against them. Can you spare them 15 minutes if your time. I promise you it will be time well spent. 

Please meet Zahkia! She is 15 years old and lives in Florida. Her personality shines bright and her presence warms up the room. This beautiful lady is caring, loving and resilient. She enjoys drawing and excels in math. She wants to be a math teacher when she grows up! We need more of you Zahkia! If she could be any super hero she would choose Superwoman and be able to fly. She likes listening to music especially rap and pop. Zahkia needs the support of a loving and committed family. Can you help? Can you be that family for Zahkia? Can you give her 15 minutes of your time? Your consideration is greatly appreciate! ❤️

For more information please contact Heart Gallery of Tampa at 813-314-2021

Photo by Nicole Park Photography

#Adoption
#FosterCare
#ForeverFamilyFriday
#Graduation
#Love





Forever Family Friday – Deandre

Aging out. Emancipated. On you own. Figure it out. Expiration date. Where will I go? What will I do? How will I pay the bills? How will I survive? 

These are all words and phrases that are very real to a child in foster care, especially at the age of 17. To no fault of their own, they have no mom, dad or permanent home. And in just a short year or two they are left to figure out life, by themselves. Which is so hard for many of you reading this to grasp. To me it is as if they are kicked to the curb. I truly believe that every young person deserves to go through life knowing they have a caring adult by their side. Unfortunately, every year roughly 20,000 plus youth hear those above phrases. They never get that bonding and permanent connection to a caring adult or family. Please stop just a minute and let me introduce you to Deandre. We can help him not be just another statistic! We can help him from becoming part of the 20,000 plus kids that “age out” of the system each year.  

Deandre is 17 years old and lives in Alabama. Fall is his favorite season! He is friendly and open to talking to anyone. He enjoys going to school and being involved in football, basketball and wrestling. Science and English are his favorite subjects. He enjoys playing video games in his spare time. If given the opportunity to plan a day for himself, he would choose to go shoe shopping and eat, especially hot wings. Three words he would use to describe himself are funny, nice and athletic. Something that he is proud of is trying to put himself in a better situation. Please help us find Deandre his #ForeverFamily. Thank You! ❤️

For more information please contact [email protected]

Click here for Deandre’s video

#Adoption
#FosterCare
#Emancipated
#AgingOut
#FosterCare


Forever Family Friday – Lillieanna and Malachi

Happy Friday everyone! I get many questions each week from you guys. Let me see if I can address one of the most commonly asked ones. Can the kids we post be adopted in a different state from where they currently reside? Yes! The children we share each week are able to be adopted outside of their home state. We do try our best, along with the agencies and case workers, to share children who have that flexibility. The system is not perfect, but people we typically deal with are working hard to get it right because these children are worth it! Foster care is extremely fluid. A child may be in the care of foster parents one day and then with no notice at all they are moved elsewhere. I’ve tried to make sense of the foster care system for years because there are many in it for the wrong reasons and the system is flawed. If I get burdened with all the negativity then we will be of no help to these kids at all. I can only imagine the uncertainty and confusion this must cause children if it causes me so much anxiety. I firmly believe we just must do whatever we can and don’t give up! They deserve better. Thank you for continuing to journey with us, and for continuing to pray and fight for these kids. Please allow me to introduce you to a brother and sister that melt my heart. We can’t give up because they need us.

Lillieanna and Malachi live in TN. Malachi is 8 years old and is a very eager little brother who loves to do everything with his sister. Lillieanna is 11, and loves to play but also loves her space. I can relate as I have a little brother! Together they like to ride bikes and play outside.

Malachi likes sports, zip lines, trampolines, and motorcycle rides. He loves music and singing along. He would like to be a pilot someday. Lillieanna likes unicorns, basketball, football, and shopping – ME TOO! She is inquisitive, honest and has a bubbly personality. She does well in school and enjoys making new friends. This sibling pair would do best in a family with lots of patience and love to give. Lillieannna wants a family who will enroll her in sports, has an active life style and a home with pets. Please contact AmericasKidsBelong.org or DM us for more info! ❤️

Please click here to see their video!

#Adoption
#FosterCare
#Love
#ForeverFamilyFriday
#Siblings

Forever Family Friday – Salina

Each week, actually every day, I receive requests from so many of you all asking for support or suggestions for your child. Questions on how we raised our kids. Questions on how to get on such and such team. How to find the best tutor. Where to look for scholarships. What to do when a coach is not fair. How to get a college to look at your kids. What our curfew time was. What our rules were on usage of the phone and computer and on and on. I’m humbled that you guys would ask me any questions at all. What I can tell you is that parenting is not easy. Whether it is with your biological children or with a child you have brought into your home and are raising. It’s a full time job with so much overtime that it’s mind blowing. It’s moments filled with lots of prayer, discussions with your friends and family, searching and researching and seeking help and advice and fighting for your kids and championing for them at all times. It’s triumphs and tragedies. I could go on and on but my point of this as we are sitting here on yet another #ForeverFamilyFriday is that the kids we post each week don’t have anyone asking questions for them. These kids need to know they matter to someone. They need someone asking questions and championing for them. It takes a village and we need you for just a few minutes each week to share a child with someone that can help. Someone who can ask questions for them and fight for them. Here is a young lady who matters. Please help me fight for her too! Meet Salina.

Salina is sixteen and lives in Arizona. Full of energy and humor, she loves playing volleyball and basketball with her friends and jamming to her favorite music. When Salina is in her element, you can find her breaking out new dance moves learned on Tik Tok. She loves to teach others how to dance. Wonder if she can help Seanie? She enjoys going to the park to play basketball or Peter Piper Pizza to play games and eat hot wings. At school, Salina enjoys math class and learning new things. She dreams of going to Disneyland or Disneyworld someday, and if she could have three wishes, she would wish for unlimited coffee, unlimited Takis, and to be a great singer.

Salina would thrive in a family that will love and support her where she is. The family for Salina will be patient, understanding and will help her stay connected to her siblings in Arizona. For more information please contact Heather at [email protected]

#Adoption
#FosterCare
#Love
#ForeverFamilyFriday
#Arizona

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forever Family Friday – Noah

The following statement I can say with absolute certainty… if you shy away from something because you are afraid of the risk…then you will also miss out on the benefits. You will miss out on growing from the experience. You will miss out on learning to give unconditionally. You will miss out on realizing that families don’t have to match. I could go on and on. The good outweighs the bad. The reward outweighs the risk. Every week the child that we post is worth the risk. They are worth working through difficult times. Just like we do with our friends and family. We don’t give up on them because times get tough. We have grown and learned from every single experience that God entrusted to us. Is your heart calling out for you to provide a home for a child? Listen to you heart. You will be the one that benefits far greater than the child. Here is a young man that is worth the risk. Please allow me to introduce you to Noah. 

Noah is 15 years old and lives in Florida. He’s a loving kid who is an avid video game player. He feels he could even win a competition if given the chance. He has a keen interest in technology and loves learning about electronics. Noah takes pride in being a good person and feels one of his best traits is how big his heart is. He’s an old soul who loves listening to classic rock, specifically Queen. Noah dreams of having a family who shares his love of technology but also enjoys being outdoors as well. He describes his perfect day as “getting adopted, going to Disney World, then finishing off the day with dinner at Chili’s.”

Something that is very important to Noah is a family with a strong male role model and a father who is actively involved.  For more information please contact Heart Gallery of Tampa 813-314-2021.
Thank You! ❤️ Marissa Moss Photography

Click here for Noah’s video

#Adoption
#FosterCare
#Risk
#Love
#KindHearted

Forever Family Friday – Mercedes

Life’s not fair! It’s not fair! How many times have you either been told this or said this? I look at the faces of these kids that we post every Friday and I think to myself IT’S NOT FAIR! I think how differently life could have been for each and everyone of the kids we post if not for ____. And that sentence could be finished in so many different ways. I wish I could sit with each and everyone of you that is reading this right now and share stories with you of kids that were labeled unplaceable or rejected or some other term that would make you cringe. Yet when they are offered hope, love and opportunity their lives are vastly different. My heart aches for the kids that missed out on getting books read to them at bedtime or having a birthday cake or getting a Christmas gift or playing a family game in the security of a home or even having their own bed. Why do some kids get love and a family and fun vacations and warm fuzzy moments and some get their lives disrupted and they get removed and labeled? I wish I knew the answer to that. But I do know that here is a young lady today that we have an opportunity to make a difference in her life. We have an opportunity to offer her those warm fuzzy moments. Please allow me to introduce you to Mercedes.

Mercedes is 16 years old and from Georgia. She enjoys watching documentaries and music videos as well as football and basketball games. Mercedes likes to play Monopoly and football. Her favorite subject in school is literature. One day she would like to own her own business or be a singer or rapper, and she enjoys writing her own lyrics! Mercedes’ favorite holidays are Christmas and Valentine’s day. Christmas because of Jesus and giving but also family and time to be together. Valentine’s day she likes because it is about love. ME TOO! Mercedes needs a loving family who will give her one on one attention, support, encouragement, structure, and the nurturing environment she needs to continue to thrive and reach her goals. She needs someone to offer her warm fuzzy family moments. Can you be this family she needs? Can you help us find this family? For more info please contact Rebecca: [email protected]

Thank You! ❤️

Click here for Mercedes’ video!

#Adoption

#FosterCare

#ForeverFamilyFriday

#Support

#ItsNotFair

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forever Family Friday – Ivan

Happy #ForeverFamilyFriday everyone! I just wanted to a minute to remind you guys that we can all make a difference in the lives of the kids we post each Friday. We totally understand that the vast majority of folks that read this may not be the person to adopt BUT you can be the spark…the connection…the bond…the association to our kids and their #ForeverFamily! You are an important part of the journey. Please share, comment and like each post. Discuss them if you have an opportunity with friends and family. Lift them and everyone involved up in prayer. If you feel you can do more, get your home study done! That way you are ready to welcome a child into your home. You can also support a family that is a foster family. They need us too. You can support them with a simple click on their Amazon wish list. There are many ways to help and they are ALL important and needed. This is an everyone problem. This is not their problem. This is a we problem. We simply need more homes and loving hearts for these amazing kids. Please let me introduce you to one amazing kid Ivan! He needs a Forever Family.

Ivan is 17 years old and lives in Alabama. He describes himself as nice and his friends would say he is outgoing. He enjoys basketball with his friends when he is not at work. Football, soccer and video games are also on his list of activities. He would like to pursue acting or being an electrician. Can you be Ivan’s forever family? Can you pray for him? Thank You!!! ❤️

For more information please contact [email protected]
Photo Becca Frederick Photography

Forever Family Friday – Sharinna

I can’t believe that summer is quickly coming to an end… but sadly it is and you know what that means. It means students all over this country are gearing up for a new school year. Sometimes for kids in foster care it is not always the same experience everyone else is having. It will be a new school for many or maybe even a new city or they don’t have the supplies they need or there’s already a knock on them just because they are in foster care….the list could go on and on. Parents…I urge you to take a minute and talk to your kids about being kind to all at school. Encourage them to sit with the kid at lunch that no one is sitting with. Explain to them the importance of talking up for the kid that is being bullied. Teach them to just be nice and treat their peers as they want to be treated. Please allow me introduce you to an amazing young lady that we are hoping has a fabulous school year. We hope that we can help her find her forever family. A family that can be there for all she needs them to be.

Sharinna is 14 years old and lives in South Carolina. She is a helpful and caring young lady who enjoys going to church. If she were president for a day she would “give all the homeless people a place to stay.” God bless her beautiful heart! She wants to be a hair stylist so she can be her own boss. Girl! I love that entrepreneurial spirit. She is very driven and likes to get things done. Sharinna’s perfect day is being adopted on a sunny beautiful day. Oh sweet girl. She’d like a family with a mom that likes to be active outdoors. Can you help Sharinna with her forever family. Can YOU be that mom? Please share! Please Like this post! Please Repost! All of this will help get the algorithm up so more people will see Sharinna. Thanks so very much! ❤️

For more information please contact Holly at (864) 282-4781 [email protected]
Photo Amber Gillum

#Adoption

#FosterCare

#GirlBoss

#Family

#BackToSchool

Forever Family Friday – Dereon

What a lovely week it has been! I can not thank you enough for all the birthday wishes! If I have not responded to you I promise I am going to! I undoubtedly have the nicest friends like family on Instagram! I’m serious. I felt very loved and celebrated. And OMG…I thank you so so much for those who have helped #ClearTheLists for the very deserving Foster Parents and Teachers! This has been one of the greatest gifts I received! Do you guys like having this option to give? If you do…we will share lists again at Christmas for our #ForeverFamilyFriday kids. Let me know! The responses we have received from these teachers and foster parents will bring you to tears. I’m going to do something for all the people that have participated in this give. I’m just trying to process that right now. AND…It’s not too late to join in the giving. The lists are on our foundation website www.makingithappenfoundation.com (The link is in the bio) AND also on my Facebook post. Now…Please let me introduce you to Dereon. He is pretty amazing and deserves our undivided attention.

Dereon is 11 years old and lives in Tennessee. He deserves to feel loved and celebrated. He is caring, kind, witty and smart, and loves to tell stories that will make you laugh! One day he would like to go into the army and help people. He loves Michael Jordan and playing sports. His favorite sport is soccer. Dereon loves playing with friends and just being able to be active. He loves school and is very smart. Dereon is resilient and very determined and has big dreams for his life. He longs for a family that is loving, caring, helpful and supportive. Can you be that family for Dereon? We would so appreciate you liking and sharing this post. It makes a difference. For more information please contact AmericasKidsBelong.org or DM us! Click here for Dereon’s video.

#ForeverFamily

#Birthdays

#Adoption

#FosterCare

#Resilient

Forever Family Friday – Elijah, Maurissa, Omar, Jayson and Andrew

One of the most important things in the world to me is family. Having a large, loving, caring, close knit family… that’s what it’s all about. It’s like you have your own set of friends and allies. It’s just a great feeling to know that there’s always somebody there for you. Personally I think we are all part of the human family. We should all be there for each other. Allow me to introduce you to five siblings that are part of our human family. They need us to advocate and champion for them. They need to know somebody is there for them. They are from Florida and range from 8-16 years old! I personally have just one brother, but my cousins, extended family and friends like family certainly make up for just one sibling. I love large gatherings and time spent with them. I want that for these kids. Warm fuzzy moments with their forever family. Can you help us find that family? Please let me introduce you to this beautiful sibling group from Florida!

Elijah is the oldest at 16. He loves to watch TV, draw, play with puppets and is fascinated with ventriloquists. His perfect day would be spent at Disney World meeting his favorite character, Mickey Mouse. Maurissa, the only sister, is 14 and says she is still deciding on a future career path but is considering being a lawyer, a fashion designer or a hairstylist. For fun, she enjoys cheering and running. She would like her adoptive family to know “I laugh a lot.” Omar, 11, is the caretaker of the group. He always makes sure his siblings are well taken care of which is especially sweet not being the oldest. He likes to play football, swim & play video games. He would like his adoptive family to know he’s a “good kid.” Jayson is 10 and is all about football! One day he would like to play professionally. He also enjoys basketball, playing video games and likes dogs. Andrew is 8, loves swimming, riding his bike and listening to music. Andrew’s favorite animal is a hippo. He hopes his adoptive family has a hippo….and a sense of humor.

This dynamic sibling group hopes to find a FUN family who will value their sibling bond while encouraging their individuality. For more info please contact Heart Gallery of Tampa at 813-314-2021. THANK YOU ❤️ Photo: Marissa Moss Photography