Amarillo Angels

We are so grateful for this beautiful gift from the Pantex Plant Community Investment Fund. Thank you for joining us in our efforts to change the way the children, youth and families from our area experience foster care 💛

You won't believe this exciting news!!!! More matches in the Love Box and Dare to Dream programs have been made in the first 3/4 of the year than all of 2023. I am not going to lie. This number got our team fired up. There was some big celebrating going on in the office when we realized the impact of that number on the precious lives of those we serve. Looking a little deeper, we saw that there are 197 kiddos (and their families) from all over the Panhandle and South Plains who are living in the foster care system and desire to have an extra layer of connection and support. 197 kiddos who are a unique and precious creations and have such beautiful dreams. 197 kiddos who need that support to help them thrive and experience normalcy. 197 kiddos who need healthy adults to believe in them and help them pursue their dreams and launch successfully into independence. There are two fantastic ways for you to help now: 1. Volunteer: start a Love Box group or become a Dare to Dream Mentor; and/or 2. Give financially to directly support those we serve Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/gV7hJmAR Having you in their corner means everything, Gwen

Join Our Team! We are seeking a dynamic, hardworking, and self-starting Co-Executive Director to elevate Amarillo Angels to new heights! Do you have the vision and passion to inspire a team and drive growth? As Co-Executive Director, you'll work alongside our current Executive Director to ensure a smooth transition of leadership, and you'll be at the forefront of advocating for our programs and building key community partnerships. We're looking for a strategic thinker who sees strangers as friends they haven’t met yet, and who brings both professionalism and passion to their work. Key Qualities:  Quick learner and problem solver  High commitment and mission-oriented  Collaborative with a knack for building relationships  Strategic leader in governance, programs, finance, and operations If you’re ready to make a transformative impact on the lives of children, youth, and families experiencing foster care, we want to hear from you! To apply, visit  https://lnkd.in/g6TfxzAM

Community-supported foster care is the way we change the statistics faced by children and youth in care. Reach out to Amarillo Angels to learn more about the incredible, positive impact wrap-around holistic family support has on the sweet kiddos who are experiencing foster care in the Panhandle and South Plains of Texas and how to get involved. https://lnkd.in/gV7hJmAR

Summer has always felt a little magical to me and when I think back on it, the memories I have of spending time with family are a huge part of the way I feel. Growing up, we would visit my grandparents each summer and it was truly the highlight of my year. Chasing lightning bugs, hiking and fishing with my cousins, washing dishes after a meal, picking veggies in the garden and shelling black-eyed peas with my precious grandmother in the garage, eating homemade ice cream and popsicles and playing Scrabble are all sweet core memories. It was simple and it was intentional time spent loving each other. I felt so loved.   If I close my eyes, I can still smell the smells and feel the love wash over me. I hope if you close your eyes and think about your childhood summers, you have the same experience. Recently, our case managers invited the precious families they support and their Love Box groups to join them for Popsicles in the Park one evening. Just come, let the kiddos play and enjoy some time connecting. One sweet great-grandmother came with her precious and extremely busy three-year-old great-grandson - kinship foster care. They are matched in our Love Box program with a sweet young couple who are expecting their first child. They check in on them, play with the little boy (who LOVES spending time with them) and encourage the great-grandmother. They listen and talk and provide a few fun or thoughtful items from time to time. As sweet great-grandmother collapsed on the park bench, the young woman sat with her and they visited about what was going on in both their lives and about parenting. The little guy was entertained by her husband and they played tag and did some swinging. It was simple and it was intentional time spent loving each other. They feel so loved.   You are invited to become part of our caring, committed community that is creating change for those who are experiencing foster care. It is simple to start today to become a volunteer in our programs or become a financial supporter of our work.  Gwen www.amarilloangels.org

My social media feed has been full of pictures of the graduation events. I am sure yours has been too. Such a fun and exciting time celebrating the accomplishments of men and women. Do you remember getting graduation presents? It has been a while for me, but I can still remember thinking...this is like Christmas in May!!! This month, Amarillo Angels celebrated the high school graduation for some extraordinary youth from our area. Statistically, youth in foster care have about a 50% chance of receiving a high school diploma so they deserved to be celebrated by our community and supported as they prepared for the next chapter of their lives. Most don't have the networks to receive that "Christmas in May" experience so many of us (and our children) experienced. They attended a special luncheon, heard an inspiring speaker who has walked in their shoes and defied the statistics. Then, they were paired with volunteers and taken on a shopping trip so they could pick out up to $500.00 worth of "Christmas in May" items. It was so much FUN to help them decide what they need, look for the best bargains, and budget accordingly. The joy and excitement for their future is real and extremely inspiring. One young woman, stopped right in the middle of the aisle, clasped her hands together, smiled a huge grin and said, “I am so excited to start my life the way I want!” We know that the ripple effects of spending time in foster care can look like academic instability, homelessness, incarceration and mental health challenges. We also know the ripple effects of an investment in resources ti(me and/or finances) in the powerful potential of the foster care community can result in cycles being broken. You bring hope for the future. To support our work financially, go to https://lnkd.in/gZ_yxyAT Together we can change this...one child at a time!

Did you know that 20,000 young people age out of foster care every year. 20% will experience homelessness within four years. That's 1 in 5.When we see a stat like this, we may ask ourselves, how does that happen? Why? Let's talk about it for a minute. I'd like to tell you about Lacie*. Lacie is an 18-year-old who aged out of care. She returned to what she knew, and went home to her mom. Only weeks later, Lacie ran away because she felt so unsafe there. Things that had led to her being removed into foster care had not changed at all. Were maybe worse. Lacie found herself in a shelter downtown. Now an 'adult', (though a very young one), she was housed with other adults. She sat in her room day after day, thinking about what she should do. She didn't have anyone to call, or to ask for help. A lack of consistent schooling had left her with no diploma, and not many options for working. It's both difficult to understand, and to accept this is happening in our country. We care about our youth. We want to see them get a good education; to thrive as young adults. We want the best for them. But this reality is ongoing -- that year upon year, youth in foster care are emancipated from our overwhelmed child welfare system, and too many fall between the cracks. There are a lot of programs to help, actually. Let me ask you...if it were you, newly an adult, maybe one with fractured schooling from all of your moves to different foster homes in different districts, or maybe one with a learning disability that was never caught or treated, maybe one with intense PTSD from the trauma you suffered when you were younger and with mental health needs now...where would you start? What makes a difference then, in a system that operates this way? The answer to that -- is entirely unremarkable. The data, research and pure common sense has put the answer in front of us over and over again. Strong relationships are what can make the difference. A trusted person who can help guide; can love through bumps & bad decisions, and still be there on the other side to illuminate a path for that youth's self-empowerment and personal versions of success. Youth in care, and those leaving care, need a "Someone." This is what Amarillo Angels is -- a connector to all the 'someones' who want to step forward, and be there as a friend, advocate and mentor to youth in & after care. To let them know, they are worth our time and support. A community built up with & around those who may have none. Want to be a part of that? There are so many reasons to do it... For Lacie. For the 2000+ children & youth from our area that could become that 1 in 5. Let's say NO to that, here in the Panhandle and South Plains and YES to changing the stats! Contact us a info@amarilloangels.org to get started making a difference in the lives of those experiencing foster care in our area.

When committed community volunteers invest in the lives of the kiddos and families who are experiencing foster care in our area lives are changed. We know that the ripple effects of spending time in foster care can look like academic instability, homelessness, incarceration and mental health challenges. We also know the ripple effects of your time and financial investment in the powerful potential of the foster care community can result in cycles being broken. You bring hope for the future.   Statistically, youth in foster care have about a 50% chance of receiving a high school diploma. This month, we are celebrating a huge milestone for some extraordinary youth from our area – high school graduation. We hosted a wonderful luncheon to honor their achievements and introduced them to someone who has walked their path and who encouraged them to use their adversities to their advantage. She shared that they are stronger because of all they have experienced. We paired the youth with volunteers and took them on a shopping trip to buy essentials for the next stage of their lives. It is so much FUN to help them decide what they need, look for the best bargains, and budget accordingly. The joy and excitement for their future is real and extremely inspiring. Their future is bright and it is our privilege to walk alongside them as they move into the next chapter of their lives. Are you interested in becoming a part of the community that surrounds these amazing, resilient young people? Are you looking for a way to volunteer that truly makes a life impact? Click on the link below and one of our team will reach out to you about ways to get involved. http://bit.ly/4bHFMnH One child at a time, Gwen

We're #hiring a new Co Executive Director in Amarillo, Texas. Apply today or share this post with your network.