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 […]
Chris – Being A Foster Child Gave Me Opportunity Read More »
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
Ronald – Foster Care Teen, Advocate, and Volunteer Read More »
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
Global Youth Service Day Project Idea: Pack A Backpack™ Read More »
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
Jimmy Graham: From Foster Care to Statistic Breaker Read More »
A Platform For Teen Males in Foster Care May is National Foster Case Awareness Month. The Teen Toolbox is opening our blog as a platform to spread inspiration and hope by highlighting the stories (successes and challenges) of teen males in the foster care system. We invite you to SHARE YOUR STORY. If the
A Platform For Teen Males in Foster Care Read More »
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
Where Are The Teen Males In Foster Care? Read More »
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
First Annual Pack-A-Backpack Drive™ Read More »
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
Give To Youth In Foster Care This Valentine’s Day Read More »
Resilient – rebounding; recovering readily from adversity; returning to its original form after being stretched or bent Do you recall your teen years with favor and joy? For many of us adolescence was a challenging time. Acne, raging hormones, peer pressure, and uncertainty plagued many of us. Although we may have had the body
Foster Teens: Handle With Care Read More »
I have always been told that there is safety in numbers. Whether taking a late night bus ride, going to a night club or simply taking a tour of a new city the mantra is still the same – it’s safer to be a part of a group. Does this still ring true when we
Is There Safety In These Numbers? Read More »