Sharing smiles... In their memory!
Their smile.
Thats is what the social worker who worked with a brother and sister in our local foster community said she’ll always remember. It’s that smile that we want to keep duplicating .. Keep fresh in the minds of those that loved these two kids that left our world way too soon. The story isn’t ours to share and we believe in dignity and privacy for the family so we have chosen not to share names or specific details of their story. What’s most important to know is that these two kids were loved. They were worthy and they should have both celebrated big birthdays in June. These kids touched the lives of so many in our community and had larger than life personalities! They leave behind their family members, their friends, teachers, foster parents and a multitude of others whose lives they touched.
And through the loss of these beautiful lives, we decided that in their memory we want to help kids in our local foster care community on hard days. I’d say that most days for kids in foster care are more complex than most but we want them to know that on especially difficult days, there remain many reasons to smile. Maybe it’s days that they have to testify in court against a perpetrator, or maybe a day when their adoptive placement falls apart. Or maybe it’s when they are faced with the pending separation from a sibling or a huge setback in their goal to be reunified with family members. It’s those days that everyone needs something to remind them to keep on going, that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. That they are worthy … No matter what!
After talking with teens about their favorite things, we’ve created a bag that we are calling the ‘You Are So Loved’ bag that is filled with several things that may brighten the day of a youth in foster care! In addition, these bags will have information about positive coping methods, suicide prevention information and other helpful information! These bags will be on hand for social workers to distribute to youth on these especially tough days and will be a simple way to generate a few more smiles … In memory of the two kids we lost way too soon. We are half way to our goal of raising enough money to make 20 of these bags! We are so grateful for those of you who have donated so far!
Consider helping us meet this goal to brighten the days of youth in our community that need an extra smile. I promise you that these two kids were worth it and so are the many more in foster care that come behind them.
Donate to this project by visiting here: www.worthdays.org/donate
– Caroline Neal, Founder