Atlanta non-profit aids 3,000 foster kids

Welcome back. Well, November is National Adoption Month. It's a time to celebrate families formed through adoption and also shine a light on children still waiting for stability, support, and a place to call home. So here in Metro Atlanta, thousands of children are in foster care, and one local organization is making sure they know their community cares. So joining us to share more about it, we have Christy Simons, co-founder and executive director of Atlanta Angels. So Christy, welcome. Good to have you here. Thank you so much. It's so good to be here. Yeah, let's start with with you and in your family's personal adoption journey. I know that inspired Atlanta Angels. So what can you share with us? Yeah, so our daughter Riley came home with us at 11 months, 11 years ago yesterday, actually. We celebrated the day she came home with us and after about a two and a half year kind of journey, we were able to finalize her adoption and she's just the best. But the journey, Through the foster system was really challenging and we saw you know the lack of support for foster parents and caregivers and learn more and more about the outcomes for kids who do stay in the system and really wanted to do something to change that for more kids so that more kids like Riley would have you know healthy adults and lots of people surrounding her knowing that they're loved and valued and worthy. Opened your eyes to the needs, the needs that are there. And that's where Atlanta Angels steps in for our viewers who maybe aren't from familiar with what the organization does. What are the goals? What's Atlanta Angels all about? Yeah, so a lot of people don't know that about 50% of foster homes will close in the first six months to a year of opening. Because they're overwhelmed and undersupported. And so what we want to do is wrap support around those caregivers so that they can continue fostering. There can be enough beds for kids that they can have more stability so they're not moving from home to home, which, you know, adds to trauma, adds to that instability. And so we want to wrap support around the caregivers and provide mentoring for youth who are at risk of aging out of foster care. So really healthy relationships, one-on-one individualized support. And we're talking about a lot of kids. You know, even here in the Atlanta metro area, 3,000 children in foster care, which, you know, we know that there's a lot, but I think when you hear a number like that and you put names and faces behind those 3,000 young people. I mean, that's almost overwhelming. Absolutely. And that's the thing, right? Every number is a real child. Yes, real story. In the country, kids will enter a foster system every two minutes. So while we're talking, another child's being removed from the only home that they know and being placed in a stranger's home, especially before the holidays. That can be so... traumatic and stressful. And so it's why we really love to spread some extra joy at the holiday time so that they know that they're loved and we can show them that they're seen. Yeah, of course. And so one of the ways that you guys do that is through the Holiday Wishlist program. So how does that work? Yeah, so we collect their wishlists. We want to give them exactly what they've asked for, right? There's not just a thing, but something that they specifically want. A couple of years ago, I got to have a teen in our program at our house for Christmas and got to watch her open these gifts. And as she did, her surprise and delight that she She got what she wanted. Right. Not just something, but she felt seen in that moment. And so we collect those. We have a really cool digital online system where people can go and shop and pick a specific kid to shop for or specific gifts that they want to fill. And then we distribute those to the families. How easy y'all have made it. I'm looking at it right now on the screen. It looks like we're walking folks through, you know, just what you're saying, that online system. You've got, you know, a name. You've got an age. You've got the specific gift that they chose. And you don't have to do a lot of work to make this happen on our end, right? Exactly, exactly. We want to make it as easy for you. Yep. We like it. So tell me a little bit more about that. I mean, what are some of the things that these kids and teens are asking for? And then what are the steps that we need to take to actually be able to get that into their hands? Yeah, I mean, they're asking for what all the kids are asking. Right. Anything from we've got clothes and hoodies and, you know, to skateboards and Neatos and I was going to say, of course, of course, art kits and science kits. And, you know, I mean, all the things that that kids might ask for. What I love is, you know, we really try to individualize and make sure we're we're meeting real needs. So we actually send the funds to the caregivers, the shop for them right before Christmas to make sure. Right. If they've. Their size has changed. We're able to get the right size for them at the right time so that what they're opening truly is what they need and want on Christmas morning. So all you have to do is shop that wish list, choose the gifts, fund it, and then we'll take care of the rest. We bring them to a really fun holiday event at the beginning of December. We rent out movie theaters and just provide a special day for them, and that's when they receive their love boxes and their wish lists. This is something I'm sure they never forget. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. For Christmas. And for someone watching right now who's interested in, you know, obviously this part of it and the wish list part, but just helping out, Atlanta Angels, what would you recommend that they do? Well, you know, we say not everyone is called to foster, but everyone can do something. So, you know, you can volunteer to be a Love Box leader and walk alongside a family to support them. You can volunteer to be a mentor and support a youth in foster care one-on-one. And then we've got lots of other ways all throughout the year that you can volunteer at events. There you have it. Perfect time to talk about this, especially ahead of Christmas and with November being National Adoption Month as well. So, Christy Sivens with Atlanta Angels. Christy, thank you so much for coming on, sharing your story and a call. Call to action for us. Yes, thank you so much for having me. And to make a difference today, visit atlantaangels.org to fund a wish list or to make a direct donation toward the holiday campaign. We'll also share a link on our website, fox5atlanta.com. Just look under the Good Day section.