Join me in setting a Pawsitive pace for change!
This year I am hiking to raise awareness and support for older kids in foster care here in the US and in orphanages around the world.
There are over 440,000 kids in the US and 8 million worldwide in child welfare systems like foster programs and orphanages. In 2022, roughly 65% of kids in foster care in the US spent over a year in the foster care system. 5% spent over five years in foster care. Nearly 10% aged out of care and entered adulthood without the support of a family.
KidSave's Weekend Miracles program provides older youth in foster care opportunities to meet and build relationships with adults willing to invest in them through hosting, mentoring, advocacy, fostering, and adoption. Elaine and I have been participating in the program for over a year and have had the prevalige of meeting some amazing kids. You may learn about some of their stories here!
Or consider Luna, from KidSave's Los Angeles Weekend Miracles program, who was adopted in January 2024 after being in foster care for years. Luna met her Mom and Dad, Stuart and Sydney at KidSave's Los Angeles Hike event in 2022. You can read more about Luna’s adoption story here!
Celebrate Family | Celebrate Love | Hike With Your Heart
Your support enables Kidsave to find forever families for all kids, everywhere. Because of people just like you and me, who care deeply about kids who need families, Kidsave has been able to train governments and social workers in the US and abroad in implementing the Family Visit Model.
Working in partnership with governments and local non-profits, Kidsave’s model inspires communities to become part of the solution and is at work on four continents.
In the US, they are helping older, forgotten kids in foster care in Los Angeles and Houston find adoptive parents and lasting connections to caring adults.
Since 1999, this work has positively impacted the lives of well over 560,000 children worldwide.
Please join me in giving kids the chance to start a new chapter and live a life of hope, love, and acceptance!
With gratitude,
Taylor Petty
