Who we are:
Worthdays is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Richmond, Virginia whose mission is to mobilize the community to ensure that those impacted by the foster care system know they are important, worthy and celebrated.
Worthdays is a small organization that is generously headquartered on the campus of UMFS, a large nonprofit with a century of providing services in Virginia, that champions the work that we do.
What we BELIEVE:
Children in the foster care system deserve to have a childhood in which they are unconditionally adored and provided with opportunities for joy and growth.
The community meets needs better than “the system”! It is our communities responsibility to meet basic needs of vulnerable kids and families impacted by the foster care system until we better equip them with an individual who unconditionally loves and is able to meet these needs.
It is our responsibility to ensure our community is aware of the chronic crisis of the foster care system which perpetuates a diminished sense of self worth for those involved and limits participation in normal childhood activities and life experiences.
What we do:
Through the excitement of celebrating children on the important days of their lives, we are engaging the community in a way that is increasing awareness and positive outcomes for our foster care system. While the foster care system is extraordinarily broken and the needs are vast, we believe that one of the most universal needs of all children and youth is to feel wanted and worthy.
In the life of a child in foster care, one of the fundamental needs we meet is ensuring they are celebrated on important days in their life. For many important days, we match a community member with a child who otherwise would not be celebrated with the intent to not only ensure the child is celebrated but to send the greater message that they are worthy. The community member creates a personalized party in a box that encourages opportunities for celebrations with whomever is in their life at that moment in time. The gifts given support the youth’s individualized interests, encourage their goals and meet otherwise unmet needs.
Children in foster care deserve to have opportunities for joy, growth and to participate in ‘normal’ childhood life experiences. We are helping make this possible in a multitude of ways.
Providing luggage to carry belongings from place to place instead of trash bags.
Meeting otherwise unmet needs ranging from transportation to employment and educational opportunities to providing dorm room essentials for youth entering college.
Supporting youth in foster care with funding to participate in typical childhood activities such as sports, the arts, specialized lessons, summer camps, promo, etc.
By educating the community about the unmet needs of the foster care system and providing opportunities to become engaged with this system, we believe positive change is possible. In doing so, we believe it is fundamental to positive change to give youth with lived experience in foster care opportunities to amplify their voices.
With a community that is fully engaged and committed to our foster care system, it is possible to focus on the fundamental challenges of the system with a focus on permanency for children!