Fostering Change

Latest Episodes:

Episode 45: Arizona Helping Hands CEO Dan Shufelt Jun 22, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Dan Shufelt, CEO of Arizona Helping Hands.

Arizona Helping Hands supports thousands of foster families throughout the state of Arizona. They provide everything from cribs and diapers to birthday gifts and bicycles. So far in 2020, they have distributed over 1,100 beds to foster parents. They also supply potential foster parents with items they need to pass the foster parent licensing inspection.

There are over 14,000 children in foster care in the state of Arizona and Dan talks about the positive impact his organization has had on the child welfare system. He also explains how Arizona Helping Hands receives funding directly from the state taxpayers as part of a program passed into law in 2013.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

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

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 44: Foster Mom & Author Keri Vellis Jun 16, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to mom and author Keri Vellis.

Keri’s incredible story was recently featured in People Magazine. When she became a foster mom, Keri tried to find children’s books about being in foster care and she realized there wasn’t much out there. She decided to write a book herself… and a few years later she wrote another one.

Keri talks about what inspired her to be a foster parent, how she advocates for her special needs son, and how she educates her community about foster care.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

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

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 43: A Conversation about Racism with LaTasha Watts Jun 09, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Rob and Dana welcome LaTasha Watts, founder of The Purple Project, back to the podcast. LaTasha grew up in foster care and now hosts an annual conference for former youth in foster care. She is also and advocate for children in foster care. This week we wanted to shift focus to the larger issue facing our country right now - systemic racism and injustice. LaTasha talks about how she and her family have experienced racism and how she believes we can work towards making a change. Rob also shares some of the instances in which he's had to deal with racism as a father of four black children.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

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

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 42: Jamerika Haynes Jun 03, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Jamerika Haynes about her experience in foster care and how it shaped her into becoming an advocate for children in the system. She is a journalist and the reigning Ms. Evergreen State 2020, and she uses her platforms to educate others about the challenges facing children in foster care. Listen as they discuss poverty and racial bias in the child welfare system and why it is important to support families in order to prevent children from being removed.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

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

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 41: Carolyn Aronson May 26, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to It’s a 10 Haircare founder and CEO Carolyn Aronson. When she was an infant, Carolyn and her 11 siblings were removed from their mother’s home and placed in foster care. At the age of 2, she and one of her biological brothers were adopted into a loving family. At 26, she set out on a mission to find her biological family and 9 months later they met.

Caroyln has been a big supporter of Comfort Cases for the last several years and has made philanthropy a part of her company’s mission.

Listen as Caroyln tells her story about being taken from her home, adopted, growing up as a Puerto Rican girl with a white family, and what it was like to meet her biological mother and siblings after over 25 years.

She also talks about why it’s so important to give back and how It’s a 10 has been helping during the COVID-19 crisis.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

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

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 40: Keri Richmond May 19, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to child welfare advocate Keri Richmond. Keri spent her early childhood in foster care, was adopted into an abusive home, and ended up depending on a friend's family for support during her teenage years. She often meets with lawmakers on Capitol Hill and talks about why it's been difficult to make changes within the system. She also talks about what people can do to make a difference for children in foster care in their communities.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

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

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 39: Terrica Smith May 12, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Terrica Smith about her journey from foster care to becoming a real estate developer now investing in her own community. Terrica was placed in foster care at the age of 8 when her grandmother passed away. She moved from foster home to foster home, and then to group homes, often running away to escape abusive situations. At 17, she was homeless and pregnant, and found out she had been emancipated from the foster care system. She was able to seek help from Catholic Charities, ended up going to school, and she is now a successful business woman. Listen as she talks about overcoming all of the obstacles in her life and her plans for the future.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

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

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 38: COVID-19 and Youth Aging Out of Foster Care May 05, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk with Whitney GIlliard about how the COVID-19 crisis has impacted youth aging out of foster care. Whitney is the founder of Gilliard & Co, a nonprofit that provides mentoring and wrap-around support for young adults who have aged out of the foster care system. She talks about the various things she’s been helping kids in her program deal with and how the community has rallied together to help.

For more info, please visit comfortcases.org/podcast.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

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

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 37: Leigh Anne Tuohy Apr 28, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Rob and Dana welcome author and motivational speaker Leigh Anne Tuohy. As the mother of an adopted son from foster care who went on to become a Super Bowl champion, Leigh Anne knows first-hand how the loving support of a family can change a child’s life. The story of her son Michael Oher and the Tuohy family was depicted in the 2009 movie “The Blind Side”. Sandra Bullock won her first Academy Award for her portrayal of Leigh Anne in the film.

Listen as Leigh Anne shares her insight into what we as individuals, and together as a community, can do to improve the lives of children in foster care.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

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

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 36: Discover Your Path Tour Recap with Noah Ehlert Apr 22, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk with Noah Ehlert about the completion of his Discover Your Path Tour. In February, Noah set out on a mission to ride his bike from San Diego to Florida, visiting youth in foster care group homes along the way. Having spent much of his childhood in and out of foster care and group homes, Noah found solace and a sense of peace when a neighbor gave him a bike... Years later he decided to inspire kids currently in foster care by riding his bike across the southern part of the country while stopping to mentor and bring hope to kids facing an uncertain future. Noah talks about what he learned on his journey and shares stories of some of the young people he met.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

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

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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