Organizational Development

Today we continue our National Foster Care Awareness Month blog series on teen males in foster care by addressing mental health. Toni Hoy and her family have endured separation, loss of parental rights, and criminalization by the system put in place to protect children.  Toni’s son, Daniel, has been placed in the Illinois foster care […]

Dorothy Cordero has been a foster mother for many years.  I interviewed Dorothy and her foster son, Chris, for The Teen Toolbox National Foster Care Month blog series on teen males in foster care.  Chris has been a part of Dorothy’s family for six years.  There are two other male foster teens living in the

  Chris Nixon has resided in the home of Dorothy Cordero for the past six years. They were referred to me through KidsPeace, a private charity dedicated to serving the behavioral and mental health needs of children, families and communities. I interviewed them together for The Teen Toolbox National Foster Care Awareness blog series on

May is National Foster Care Awareness and The Teen Toolbox will dedicate our blog as a platform for teen males in the foster care system to share their stories of triumph and success.   Ronald Hennig is focused, motivated, and wise beyond his years.  He is a soon to-be 18 year old male in the

Student Service Learning versus Community Service Student Service Learning (SSL) is a teaching method that combines meaningful service to the community with curriculum-based learning.  SSL includes phases of preparation, action, and reflection.  Two of the best practices in service learning recognized in the state of Maryland are that the student achieves curricular objectives and the

I tuned in to Oprah’s Lifeclass: The Tour with Bishop TD Jakes this past Monday night and was delighted to learn about Jimmy Graham, tight end for the NFL New Orleans Saints.  I’m not a football fan but I am an advocate for youth in foster care and I was captivated as Jimmy shared his

Being removed from your home is always stressful.  Youth in foster care often have few personal belongings and carry the items they do have in trash bags as they are shuffled from place to place.  Very often sheer survival is the ultimate goal.   As a society, we stereotype all teens as difficult, selfish, or

Over the last five years that my daughter, JaMai, has organized her Pack-A-Purse Drive™ she has collected, sorted, and delivered a total of 951 purses and toiletries to teenage girls in homeless shelters, group homes, foster homes, and community programs.  The annual Pack-A-Purse Drive was her brainchild – it spoke directly to her life as

  Valentine’s Day is usually a holiday that you love or hate.  Remember kindergarten when everyone in class received Valentine’s Day cards and gifts?  I received Valentine’s Day gifts from my mother into young adulthood.  I have done the same for my daughter (her Valentine’s Day packaged arrived at her dorm last week).  For me