More than Numbers

14-4-1, are those more than just numbers to you? To the founder of Foster Love, Amber, they are numbers that will forever be etched in her brain. Numbers that would change her life and the lives in her community forever. FOURTEEN – 14 was the number of months that her son Trevon was in care before coming into their home. FOUR – 4 is the number of placements that Trevon had already had in those fourteen months. ONE – let me say that again – ONE – 1 represents the ONE trash bag that held his life belongings – when he entered care and yet still when he transitioned for the fourth time. ONE thing remained, and that was his trash bag full of items that were dirty, worn, ill-fitting, had holes, and ultimately items that were the inward reflection of what you think should be in a TRASH bag. How do you explain that to a child? How do you explain that to anyone? Yes, trash bags are a thing for children entering foster care, and yes that needs to change. When children come into care, their lives are on fire, everything they know is changing, and we have the audacity to give them a trash bag and say everything’s going to be okay. But is it? The numbers say otherwise. The confusion, the brokenness, the trauma is evident when you look at any numbers or statistics representing children in care. Numbers and statistics that should shatter any human heart.

Amber, Trevon’s adopted mother, took that one trash bag, turned it into one beautiful upscale shopping boutique to meet basic needs for children in care – free of charge, and is impacting our community one life at a time. She is determined to go beyond the bag, even beyond the boutique, to make sure these kids are clothed in confidence from head to toe. ONE smile at any of our shopping events, art classes, or large events, is enough to keep pushing for change. Each picture, each life, is a reminder that each one of us can make a difference. Do you believe in the power of one? (Some formatting did not transfer).