Team Awesome Unites with Together We Rise

I never knew these types of things existed today.

Foster kids carry around Trash Bags? My first reaction was this is not true; this must be slanted for the charities benefit. After all, there have been some charities reported that doesn't necessarily help those they are raising money to help (anyway, that is an entirely different argument.)

I dove around the internet to find the ruse behind the charity however what I discovered was quite the opposite. In the world of foster care, trash bags are often synonymous with luggage. Of course, this doesn't affect the very young, but what about those kids that know they are different from their peers, the preadolescent, adolescents, and teens? Lugging around a bag that is meant for the trash can have a profound effect on self-esteem and cause feelings of worthlessness.

I thought to myself, did I miss something, am I the only ignorant person reading about this, now? Our local media is not reported on this in our local coverage. We know all about the store that's having a grand opening celebration, a food drive by a local church or school and feel good local stories, the violence, and drug offenses. We never hear about what these kids go through. I agree that we need to eliminate the demoralizing practice of placing children in homes with everything they own in trash bags. This part of the child welfare culture must be changed, and it's not going to happen with the Department of Child Protective Services or Human Services especially after the slash and burn that recently took place.

I would encourage you to reach out to a local charity in your area that supports these types of initiatives for foster kids. I think they are providing more than just a bag, but they are giving these kids some encouragement and self-esteem. If you have the means, please make a donation to ease some of the soul-crushing effects these children face on a daily basis. It is an excellent way to spread some positive energy and love. You may donate to this group, but I would encourage you to seek out someone within your community.

Together we Rise

Together We Rise is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization comprised of motivated young adults and former foster youth. Our vision is to improve the lives of children in foster care, who often find themselves forgotten and neglected by the public. We collaborate with individuals, companies, and community partners to bring resources to foster youth and use service-learning activities to educate volunteers on issues surrounding the foster care system. 

TWR works with hundreds of foster agencies, social workers, CASA advocates, and other partners to bring our programs to foster youth across the nation. Our foundation has allowed us to provide thousands of foster youth across the country with new bicycles, college supplies, and sweet cases so that children do not have to travel from home to home with their belongings in a trash bag.