A Message from a Former Foster Youth
My name is Annika, and like you, I am no stranger to the experience of surviving the foster care system. I spent 5 years within the system before aging out – left with little to no resources, too many years of trauma, and complete confusion when it came to my worth as a person. It’s a miracle for me to look back at that time and to see where I am now in life: finding healing, belonging, and purpose in living each day.
There’s a quote that says, “Every kid is one caring adult away from being a success story.” For youth like us, having that caring adult while we were kids can feel like a fantasy or foreign idea. As years have gone by, I’ve been thankful to know that there really are caring adults in our world. We all deserve to have someone believe in us, encourage us, and truly remind us of our worth.
Wherever you find yourself in life today, I want to be that caring adult with the shared experience of foster care to tell you that your story matters, your life matters, and that I believe in you. For too long, we have been limited by statistics and stigmas as former foster youth. What you’ve had to survive was due to no fault of your own. You did not get to choose to end up in the foster care system. But, the beautiful thing is, that you now get to choose how you want to live and the impact you want to leave. The power of choice is back in your hands.
Today, I hope you choose to love yourself and others. I hope you choose to make a difference in your own life and in the lives of others. And most of all, I hope you choose to believe that you’re worthy of every good thing.
The team here at Dream Makers is thinking of you constantly. You are the reason we do what we do. We’re in this together.
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