A Message from the Founders...

Where do we even begin? We both have always had a desire to serve and have done so for years within our own communities. Still, we felt called to do more. After a whole lot of prayers, reflection, along with the guidance and support from our families and friends, it has led us here, graciously announcing the launch of Fostering Futures of North Carolina.

Never in our wildest dreams did we see ourselves leading a non-profit. Looking back on our journey thus far, if there is anything we’ve learned and can testify to, it is that God is ALWAYS in the details and that He will use anyone and everyone to fulfill His purpose. We have seen that sometimes the storms and lessons we face are also the backside of the blessings to come. For us though, I think the biggest takeaway has been the peace this journey in building Fostering Futures of North Carolina has given us. That’s when we knew we were where we belonged. We’ve witnessed all of this firsthand and can see where all of those puzzle pieces were and continue to fall into place that have ultimately fostered our desire to step out in faith and do more.

For us, one of those pivotal puzzle pieces that catapulted us into the desire of wanting to do more was hearing first-hand about the rescue of a 17 year-old girl. She had been missing for 7 years, had been a child in foster care, and ended up being a victim of human trafficking. The reality and tragicness of her story in and of itself shook us to our core. This was something that happened not even two hours away from our own backyard. However, it also prompted a barrage of questions. What does she need? Where will she go? What will happen to her now? All of those questions were valid questions and concerns, but one question in particular that always stayed with us was, what does her future look like? Was she able to go to high school and at least earn her high school diploma? Where is her family? Will she be ok? Who will help her navigate adulthood? If you think about it, she’s experienced 7 years of trauma at minimum and will age out of the foster care system at either 18 or 21. That is a lot of healing, stuff to figure out, stuff to learn, and trauma to unpack in 1-3 years. While we unfortunately can’t take away all of the abuse, trauma, and years lost for her, her story gave us a reality check and unbeknownst to us the seed for Fostering Futures of North Carolina took root.

From that story, and amongst the several others that were later shared with us, we both recognized three key foundations that we believe are critical to one’s success in adulthood: education/training, support, and faith. We both have been blessed with an amazing support system with loving and supportive families, friends, colleagues, and mentors. We’ve also been able to attend and complete a post-secondary education that has given us access to professional opportunities that otherwise would not have been available. However, we sometimes forget that what is seemingly normal for us isn’t always the case for others and that is especially the case for kids in and aging out of foster care. So how does that work for an impressionable teenager aging out of the foster care system? It simply doesn’t. It immediately sets them on a path with many obstacles to overcome in their efforts of trying to create a better life and better circumstances for themselves. Our hope and our goal is to try and change that for the kids aging out of foster care, by changing one future at a time through programs and initiatives like scholarships, job placement, and mentorship.

You may ask why though? For us, it’s more like why not. As of 2021, there are 11,213 kids in foster care in North Carolina. (Foster Care Capacity and The Imprint). To us, that's 11,213 hearts to fight for, help, love on, and serve. For those who haven't found homes or haven't been reunited with their families by the time they're 18 or 21, that's when they'll need someone the most. We don't want anyone walking away feeling like they're alone, unsupported, don't have a family to call home, and especially don't want them believing they don't have a say-so in their future.

As we embark on our own journey through Fostering Futures of North Carolina, we ask for your continued prayers and support. It goes without saying that leading a non-profit is a labor of love, and our hope is to showcase that in everything we do, that to Love God is to Love People. Our promise is to always lead according to the Lord, to always lead with humble hearts and spirits, and to always be of service in everything we do, to everyone we meet, and to every kid we strive to help. We hope that you’ll join us on this journey, so that together, we can show these kids, our kids, that family isn’t just blood, home isn’t just a place, and that no matter where we are, where we go, or where we end up, the Lord is always with us.

To the young lady that inspired us, we hope this message somehow makes its way to you so you can see firsthand what you’ve inspired and as a result, the lives, you, and your story will change through Fostering Futures of North Carolina. We promise to bring some sort of redemption from your trials, to let you and your story be the guiding example and purpose for what we aim to accomplish. If by some miracle, you ever find yourself browsing our website or our social media accounts, we pray that you have the courage to reach out. Until then, we pray that you are well, that you are protected, and that you are and forever will be blessed beyond measure. We especially pray for your healing and that you don’t let your past hold you captive from reaching the full potential of your future. We pray that you know you are loved and prayed for and if you ever find yourself stuck, needing assistance, or needing a place to call home, you have a community here waiting with their arms and the door wide open.

Humbly,

Kaitlin Reckert, President & Co-Founder

Stephanie Kinley, Vice-President & Co-Founder

Foster Care Capacity, and The Imprint. “Youth in Care 2011-2021.” Who Cares: A National Count of Foster Homes and Families, https://www.fostercarecapacity.com/data/youth-in-care. Accessed 1 October 2022.