Project Zero

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend DCFS’ annual Graduation Ceremony. The department and the independent living division always do a great job investing in teens in foster care who are graduating from high school. The event has a fun upbeat theme with decor to match and DCFS’ partners like The CALL purchase special duffle bags and gift cards for every graduate! There are foster parents and mentors and CASA advocates that attend as well as DCFS staff from around the state and central office administrative staff-everyone cheering, encouraging, and loving on the graduates.

It truly is a special time.

But……as I sat there listening to the amazing speeches and watching as the graduates filed across the stage one by one when their names were called, I couldn’t help but be heartbroken. The faces told stories without words and with more questions than answers; where are my people at the most important time in my life? Why me? Will things ever be normal again? Do I really have a future without the support of a family?

Several of our waiting teens were graduating. Zaiden was one of them. He has been waiting a long time. Last year, when we shared his short film TWO women in two different places began sending cards and gifts and encouragement to Zaiden! One family lives in Canada and has gotten their family and friends on board to encourage Zaiden! The other lives in Ohio- and is committed to making a difference in Zaiden’s life. These two women have blessed Zaiden more than they will ever know. And they’ve blessed his adoption specialist and our staff as well! What a gift!

I’m reminded that this fight is far from over, that so many people passionately care about waiting kids, and that it is simply unacceptable for any child to age out of foster care without a family.

Together, we can do this!!

We’ve got a BIRTHDAY EMERGENCY!!! ❤️🥳🎉🎂😂

In the middle of all the DE excitement, we neglected to post about our Addilee’s 16th birthday and share her Amazon wish list! Her birthday is next week and we want to celebrate BIG!!!
If you would like to join in our hope-building celebration by purchasing a gift from her wish list- we would be so grateful!! Simply purchase your gift and it will ship directly to Addilee’s adoption specialist who will deliver gifts and goodies to her on HER SPECIAL DAY!!

Thank you in advance for loving our kids so well and for making sure they know how special they are! We could not do what we do without YOU!

Happy Sweet Sixteen Addilee! May it be the last birthday you spend waiting for home. We love you!

https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/263C0D5522NJK

“I’m a black sheep.”

Black sheep- “an odd, disreputable, or non-conforming member of a group or family.”

I received a message today from one of our waiting teens that said, (among other things), ‘I am a black sheep.’ It absolutely broke me.

Waiting kids need to know that they are not defined by the things that happened TO them or by their time in foster care or by any label that is slapped on them. But trying to convince them that the things said about them are not true is another story.

It’s time we corporately stand and say enough is enough. Waiting kids matter. Waiting kids deserve a second chance at a beautiful life with a forever family to call their own.

Tonight, in the United States of America there are almost 100,000 kids/teens waiting in foster care to adopted. Let that wash over your heart, mind, and soul.

These kids have lived through being taken away from everything familiar (even if it was unsafe or abusive, it was familiar) thrust into a system that isn’t designed to be a parent, and abandoned by parents who chose something else over doing the work to get their children back. They’ve sat through court hearings, listened to testimony, moved from place to place, been disappointed by broken promises, and watched as their parents’ rights were terminated because they didn’t fulfill their part of the ‘agreement’.

And now, they wait. They wait and wonder if they matter. Does anyone see them? Does anyone care? Will anyone decide that the risk is worth the reward? Will they ever get a second chance?

We believe waiting kids matter. We believe they deserve the best we have to offer and the best forever families-who will love unconditionally, protect sacrificially, and guide them as they heal and grow.

Would you share our Heart Gallery www.theprojectzero.org or the Heart Gallery from your state? Would you speak up and speak out for waiting kids? And would you pray that the wait ends soon?