Fostering Change

Latest Episodes:

Episode 85 : Glen Henry and Robert Selby Jun 22, 2021

Show notes

On this episode we get to sit down and catch up with Robert Selby and Glen Henry!

Robert Selby is a full time father of a CHD warrior named Chace Elijah. Together they shine light on the medical needs community to help bring awareness with a positive spin to the CHD and Gtube community via social media in hopes to let people around the world know that they’re Never in a Fight Alone.

Glen Henry is a father, husband, creator, musician, author, emcee, CEO, and mentor. He began on YouTube in 2015, documenting his journey as a stay at home father. Six years later, he has appeared in films alongside Will Smith, written children’s books, launched a multi-venture company, co-hosted a podcast with his wife of ten years, Yvette Henry, and added two more children for a total of four tiny humans who inspire him in all his endeavors. His company, Beleaf in Fatherhood, is centered around creating content to equip fathers, bring hope to mothers, and inspire children.

We get into all the aspects of being a dad and catch up on their stories! Amazing Episode!

To continue the story, follow Glen Henry on Social Media:

Website : https://www.beleafinfatherhood.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeleafMel/

Twitter:Glen (@BeleafMel) | Twitterhttps://twitter.com › beleafmel

Instagram: @beleafmel https://www.instagram.com/beleafmel/?hl=en

YouTube: Beleaf In Fatherhood - YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com › channel

TikTok: Beleaf N' Family (@beleafinfatherhood)

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Episode 84 : Matthew Everitt Jun 15, 2021

Show notes

Join us as we interview with Matthew Everett. Matthew father to Kaitlyn and Ethan as well as the co-creator and executive producer of World of Dance with Jennifer Lopez on NBC. As CEO for World of Dance, which boasts over 20 million followers online, he built one of the world’s preeminent dance entertainment brands, celebrating creative self expression and uniting the world through artistry and motion.

We chat about Being a dad and the current focus of World of Dance Studios,

nurturing creative environments at home and work. We also get to learn more about World of Dance Studio in Tokyo!!

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Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

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Episode 83 : Jeanne & Gideon Bernstein Jun 08, 2021

Show notes

This is a story about parents that faced an unknown situation with a tragic

outcome. They lead us through the troubles they experience and how they manage

to deal with everything.

We meet Gideon and Jeanne, a couple full of positive energy and hope, who

Through their story, they introduce us to their firstborn son Blaze. They named him after

Blaise Pascal, which seems like an irony to them now, and as a young boy he was

capable, talented, loving and kind. His creativity was the sign of an artist that was

committed and brilliant.

At some point in his late teens, Jeanne asked Blaze about his sexuality. He did not want to talk about it, as he was coming into his own as a young gay man. They were very open minded and respected his boundaries. They believe that the biggest problem was with community and constant bullying that Blaze experienced. They were part of the community that did not have any experience with diversity, especially in public schools. Due to this they were trying to find solutions in sending him to a school that was more open to him, where he could focus on his artistic and academic skills. Still, he managed to deal with all the problems and had a promising life in front of him.

Unfortunately in 2018, at the age of just 20, home from college for the holidays, Blaze went missing. After more than a week of searching, his body was found less than a mile from home. He was murdered: a victim of a hate crime.

After a time of grief and thinking about what they could have done differently,

they realized that they need to focus on the future. They wish that they were more

proactive at the moment about his situation. Due to that, they are now working hard

toward achieving that community embrace differences, as that is the only way of

moving forward.

Jeanne believes that it is enough if you manage to change at least one

person. She explains that our influence and experience can help someone in their

hard times, and if it helps only one person it is enough. It will change their life and

from that moment can have a rippling effect on the whole community and world.

For more information, please visit: blazebernstein.org and join the Facebook Group: #BlazeItForward

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Episode 82 : Connie Going Jun 01, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of Fostering Change, Rob starts off talking about making his heart smile! His special guest Connie Going is always there for him when he needs to reach out!

They start talking about the challenges of the Covid pandemic. Connie explains more about Family Blooms, and how they provide assistance for mothers. It's essential to empower mothers to reach supports on their own and to not be another victim.

Rob believes we must invest in our community, in the form of investing in the families.

Family Blooms is moving into the heart of St. Petersburg. They've also added child welfare navigation.

Connie talks about her son's amazing story and a little about her own background as well. She had to fight the system to adopt him. Now he is at the culinary

Institute of America in his third semester and possibly receiving an internship in Aspen, Colorado.

The second half is a very emotional segment as Rob and Connie dive deep on their own personal experiences and feelings.

Facebook

ConnieGoing.com

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063635084226

Support group for Adoptive Parents EVERY Thursday night at 9pm EST

ConnieGoing.com Adoptive Support Group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1667568840204821

Family Blooms: International Center for Adoption and Surrogacy

https://www.facebook.com/FamilyBloomsCenter

Twitter: @GoingConnie

Instagram: @conniegoing @familyblooms2019

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Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

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Episode 81 : Daniel Hall May 25, 2021

Show notes

Daniel Hall was a boy whose mother had brain cancer and his father couldn’t take care of the 5 kids. His 2 brothers and himself were sent to an abusive foster home where he was beaten, starved and terrified of the situation but didn’t know how to get out of it. He was lucky enough to be adopted but unfortunately his brothers aged out of the system.

By age 13, Dan was teaching college grads how to write software in a small Vermont town. Dan also teaches foster parents how it is to be in the system. He met his older brother who graduated from high school when he was 16 and became best friends until he passed away.

Statistics say only 54% of children in foster care graduate from high school.

Knowing about baggage, Rob explains how it feels to finally have a forever family and no matter what kind of baggage adopted kids come with, the love that parents have in their heart is what makes it all worth it. Daniel is showing his kids that no matter how hard it is, it is not a failure and he is always there for them. His and his wife's goal is to teach the kids to be always there for each other after they are gone.

If it was up to Dan, he would send the kids out of the system with some dignity. But it wouldn’t happen without the community. Your community is not your zip code but the human race.

Website: http://www.danielbhall.com/

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Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

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Episode 80 : Rita Soronen May 18, 2021

Show notes

In this episode we are talking about Fostering Change, a platform where we speak about foster care and adoption with the CEO and president of the Dave Thomas foundation for Adoption, Rita Soronen.

Rita’s foundation is expanding with their signature adoption program: Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program that started in 2004, and celebrated 10.000 adoptions last year. Through this platform, not only do they raise awareness but it is also about emerging best practices across the country. They created the program Child Focus Recruitment, based on some emerging social practices.

Why are so many kids in foster care? Is foster care the answer? There are many cases of abuse, abandonment, neglect, but the ones that are the most concerning are the cases of kids who aged out of the system and are on their own once they must leave the foster care. One might think that these kids are doing just fine being out there on their own, but we forget they are not permitted to make a mistake since they have no one to lean on.

Every child deserves to have permanency and a foundation, but not all kids are lucky enough to find their forever family. We are truly hoping that we will find even more strategies to find homes with people who are ready to open up their hearts.

They are OUR children and we have to advocate for them since change comes about when we talk about it!

davethomasfoundation.org

facebook.com/DaveThomasFoundationforAdoption/

IG and Twitter @dtfa

linkedin.com/company/dave-thomas-foundation-for-adoption/

#FosterCareAdoption

#AdoptionAdvocate

#AdoptionAwareness

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Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

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Episode 79 : Comfort Cases UK May 11, 2021

Show notes

The problems in the foster care system are not only a problem in America but all over the world, and the fact that children leave foster care with a trash bag, a rubbish bag, or a bin bag is heartbreaking. Rob, the founder and CEO of the Comfort Cases organization explains the importance of taking the initiative and get involved!

A goodwill campaign, YDWD (“You Donate, We Deliver”) was operating in the UK during the height of the pandemic. The initial contact among both parties’ organizers eventually led to the idea for cooperation between the two. ‘Comfort Cases’ and YDWDs’ decided to expand the Comfort Cases mission together. Now Katie, Sarah, and Rich, together with a group of 9 other individuals are now a part of the team.

When first talking to Sarah, Rob was thrilled to find out that YDWD delivered 100.000 meals. The number itself shows all the effort they put in.

The number of children in the foster care system is overwhelming. There are 96,000 in the foster care system in the UK and 438,000 in the USA. One of the problems with care leavers in the UK is that when they reach the age of 18, they are no longer wanted in the care homes. Foster children in the UK often have 3 placements a year. According to Richard, one of the driving principles is bringing light to the issue as it exists globally.

The Foster Care Fortnight UK is the biggest foster care awareness raising campaign whose idea is to help people understand and value fostering, and acknowledge the positive impact that it can have on the lives of children. Richard explains how he, prior to learning about comfort cases, was largely unaware of the situation in the UK, and around the world in general. It is worth mentioning that Comfort Cases UK is launching with 70+ cases, to be delivered in May.

The ‘tag still on them’ is a touching story about Rob and his daughter when she got her first ever new pajamas.

You can find more details about all the events on our Facebook page, Instagram profile, and Twitter

On the following links

http://www.comfortcases.org/

https://www.facebook.com/Comfort-Cases-UK-101986278711820

https://www.instagram.com/comfortcasesuk/

For any additional information on all our projects, you are welcome to send us an email at Hello@comfortcasesuk.org

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

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Episode 78 : Richard Krulik May 04, 2021

Show notes

Richard Krulik, CEO of Briggs & Riley, is the special guest this week on the Fostering Change Podcast. Rob and Richard talk about A Case for Giving event and the history of this charitable program.

700 is the average number of foster care kids entering the system each day in the US. None of those children are in foster care by a choice they made and not one of them would choose that for themselves. They need to know that they matter, they are not invisible nor disposable.

Briggs & Riley, a luggage company, showed that a bag can change one's life for the better. Richard, the CEO of the company explains how they, for about 10 years, have been replacing the foster children’s trash bags with a piece of luggage.

They are running an amazing program, where people can bring any brand of usable luggage into a retail store to give it a “second life”, a second purpose and help sustainability as well. Donors get a credit that can be applied to the purchase of a Briggs & Riley bag. Then, their bag is donated to a local foster home or a battered women’s shelter.

Now together with Comfort Cases, Briggs & Riley is creating an opportunity for the program to expand to a nationwide network of foster homes.

Up until last year Comfort Cases had delivered over 150,000 comfort cases in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, without the help of a lot of corporate sponsors. Briggs & Riley is the one that decided to stand next to Comfort Cases and weather the storm of Foster Care.

Richard thinks that we can really make a difference as a collective group. Social good and collective power of a group of people combined with a company can make a difference to improve the lives of those around us. Helping the kids that are finding their forever home is an initiative and effort that they took on as a company. Richard encourages other companies to think and do the same so the world can be better tomorrow than it was yesterday.

Investing in a child in foster care is investing in our future. 30 000 children a year are aging out of foster care and 70% of them become homeless. But by giving them usable luggage instead of a trash bag can make a lot of difference in how they feel.

If everybody were to do a couple of little things on a consistent basis, it could really move the needle. So all the puzzle pieces come together nicely and come up with some ways to make the world a better place. Just do one thing a day and you too can make a difference.

When you donate a gently used piece of Briggs & Riley luggage to a participating retailer, Briggs & Riley will restore and deliver these bags to a local foster care agency. Donors will also receive up to $100 credit towards their Briggs & Riley luggage purchase. Visit https://www.briggs-riley.com/pages/a-... to sustainably support children in your community.

https://www.facebook.com/BriggsandRiley/

https://www.instagram.com/briggsandriley

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

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Episode 77 : Willy Bolander Apr 27, 2021

Show notes

About the Guest:

Willy Bolander - www.willybolander.com

Father of 8 children, 7 adopted from foster care.

Founder of non-profit, Go Foster! (2013-2019)

In the Episode :

Willy discusses his experience in recruiting and retaining foster parents via Go Foster! The idea was born as a research idea in Florida, where they discovered a huge need for improvements in the existing system. He talks about the lack of understanding by everyone involved about how to foster recruiting.

Rob talks about his state funding billboard advertisements near bus stops and how it is appalling to him.

They discuss the topic of religion, the role it plays in the adoption process and some of the barriers that can be put in the path to connecting kids with forever homes.

After the break, Rob mentions some of his experiences with different agencies and their random requirements and disqualifiers.

Willy shares his opinion that agencies funded by the state should “shut up” when it comes to their personal beliefs and using those personal beliefs to disqualify potential families.

The pair talk about something they have in common, adoption of an adult child!

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

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Episode 76 : Kyle Tolstyka Apr 20, 2021

Show notes

Rob shares a story of how a teacher made a major impact on his life before introducing Kyle Tolsyka, music teacher, musician and the author of "Where do I fit?"

Kyle, talks about his inspiration and motivation to write the book and hints that there might be another book in the future!

After the break Kyle even reads the book!

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

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