While eating fruit with my lunch today I realized that my dream home includes an apple tree and a grape vine. My apple tree insight brought to mind one of my favorite movies of all time – Baby Boom. In 1987, Diane Keaton played a driven career woman working in a Manhattan marketing/advertising agency. She
Deserving Of A Permanent Home Read More »
THE TEEN TOOLBOX promotes youth portfolio development, academic enrichment, and civic engagement to help youth set goals for life after high school and develop a plan to reach those goals. PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT Packaged For Success™ Portfolio Development Program helps youth put their best foot forward. During our one day professional portfolio development seminar, young people
An estimated 20,000-25,000 young people age out of the foster care system each year, many without family or economic support. Research shows that the transition to adulthood is difficult for many former foster youth. When they age out of the foster care system, they’re more likely than their peers to end up in homeless, in jail,
Support System For Youth Aging Out of Foster Care Read More »
I’m on a quest to eliminate my weekends from my extended work week and make them real weekends filled with relaxation and enjoyment. In my efforts to rejuvenate, I spent time watching my new favorite TV channel – GMC. This weekend was the premiere of the GMC original movie “Somebody’s Child”. This was a touching
Every Child In Foster Care Is Somebody’s Child Read More »
Every Mom’s Test © Nandita Shailesh Shanbhag (Permission to reprint requested from Family Friendly Poems) You are special; you mean the world to me You are my daughter, a reflection of my entity Every year, as I watch you grow by my side No matter what you do, you are my source of pride The
Every Mom’s Test (poem) Read More »
Live Life As The Winner That You Are “Winners have simply formed the habit of doing things that losers don’t do.” -Albert Gray 10 Ways To Win 1. Create realistic goals 2. Develop a written plan to reach your goals 3. Take one action daily that moves you closer to your goals 4. Develop an
SPOTLIGHT Teen of the Month NOMINATE A TEEN – RELAUNCH October 25, 2012 The Teen Toolbox showcases the talent and determination in young people and proves that when given support and opportunity, youth can change the world. Our “SPOTLIGHT Teen of the Month” award recognizes a youth (14-21) in the foster care system that, despite
Nominate A Teen for SPOTLIGHT Teen Of The Month Read More »
Do you still have Olympic fever? Congratulations to all our amazing Olympic Games 2012 athletes. Let me share a few records with you: Swimmer Michael Phelps is now the most decorated Olympian of all time. Gymnast Gabrielle Douglas is the first African-American all-around Olympic champion and the first U.S. gymnast to win both that title
Marlon Shirley: From Foster Care To Athletic Success Read More »
The London 2012 Olympic Games end this Sunday. Olympic fever has taken over the world and provided me yet another opportunity to highlight adoption and foster care – I’m so grateful. After his win, thirty-four year old, shot put bronze medal winner, Reese Hoffa, used his achievement to raise awareness about the numbers of children
Reese Hoffa: Olympic Winner and Adoption Advocate Read More »
If you’ve read my blogs for more than a couple of weeks you know that I am a huge proponent of volunteerism. I believe that each of us has a responsibility to help our fellow man. I am so excited when service meets philanthropy and ABC’s Secret Millionaire TV show marries the two wonderfully. Secret Millionaire
Adoption, Foster Care, and Secret Millionaire Read More »