Poksak donates 25 cents from every bag sold to their scholarship fund, administered by OFA. The bags are wonderful – OFA staff members carry them everywhere. They fit in your handbag, the glove compartment of your car or your raincoat pocket. Get one or get several. Save the environment, have a handy-dandy tote bag ready any time you need it, and support America’s foster youth. Talk about a win-win-win!

Poksak and OFA are featured on two websites this week – check it out at mothersactingup.org and kidoinfo.com.

We have already gotten lots of thank you emails from the students. But one was especially sweet because the young woman actually wanted to personally thank the person who knitted her scarf. At first I thought to myself, “How in blazes am I going to figure out exactly who knitted one of the thousands of scarves we received and sent in the care packages?” I mean really? REALLY!

But her wish was so darn sincere. Then she tells me it was knitted by “Margaret in British Columbia, Canada”! It was like a one in a million shot – right? OK, so not such large odds but still. I quickly pulled up the scarf donor sheet and as luck would have it there was only one Margaret in all of British Columbia. Well, only one in my database that sent in a scarf (and she actually sent in two scarves and gift cards – GO Margaret!).

So I wrote back to the student and told her to email me her personal thank you to “Margaret in British Columbia” and I would make sure it got to her. This is what she wrote:

Dear Margaret,

Yours Truly,
Chelsey S.

So, I sent the thank you to Margaret and she sent me an email today with the loveliest reply.

Dear Lynn,

Sincerely,
Margaret

I wish that we could match every scarf recipient with its donor. But since we can’t, I hope that you all can feel like this thank you is for you too! Chelsey said, “You must be a very sweet lady to do something for someone who lives so far from you that you don’t even know. Thank you.” That sentiment is true for all of you, except I know that men donate the scarves too. You donate your time and talents to produce some of the most beautiful scarves and send them to us and never really know exactly who they go to. So, from Chelsey, OFA and the thousands of foster youth striving to get an education and make a better life for themselves, we all say THANK YOU!

Photo by Gale Zucker Photography www.gzucker.com

FedEx is a longtime, generous sponsor of OFA’s Care Package Program. Every year they ship over 7500 packages to OFA students all across the country, and that makes our students smile!

But it’s their corporate culture that I think should be noted – the job done well and with pleasure. Not only do they ship the boxes they’ve supplied with preprinted labels they prepared for us, but our corporate contact calls US to ask when we’d like to send them out. 30 plus inches of snow? No problem, they still prioritized our pick up and delivery, No loading dock at the building to pick up 2500 boxes? FedEx did it by hand.

I once thanked our pickup driver, Bill Triggs, and he just looked at me sort of puzzled and said, “That’s our job.” It had taken nearly two hours for him to get the boxes from the storage room, out to the hall, onto the cart, wheeled through the lobby and into the truck. The volunteers stuffing boxes were so impressed that he did it all with humor and style!

Once again, care packages are on their merry way to the wonderful students in our programs. They will tear open the boxes and marvel at the beauty of the hand-made scarf they receive. They will delight at all the other goodies and school supplies stuffed in the FedEx box, but few to none of them will have a clue about the amount of work, heart and caring that went into each and every package.

At our last Capitol Hill Care Package event, David Pryor Jr., then Senior Federal Affairs Representative of FedEx actually thanked OFA for allowing FedEx to be a Care Package sponsor. He recognized the other sponsors for the items they donated to go into the care packages. He closed his remarks with a very moving statement to the effect that, “At the end of the day, we are just a box. It’s what goes into the box that shows how much people care about these kids.”

WOW – FedEx is so much more than a just a box! Without their generous donation of the shipping, we could not send care packages to our students. Bottom line, without FedEX we couldn’t tell these young people that people are thinking about them and that their education hopes and dreams count.

So, from all of us, THANK YOU FedEX!

Signed, Lynn Davis
OFA Community Partnerships Manager

And what a wonderful New Year’s Resolution!

……

Last year, I set several personal and education goals for myself. I was shocked and proud to see how many I actually achieved. I had a goal to complete the Qualified Medications Aid (QMA) program. I completed that program in April, and I took the state test for my QMA license and passed. I have not used my QMA license since I got it, but it is still an accomplishment that I am proud of.

Another goal I had was to retake the Teas test. I had already taken it once, but I needed I higher score to apply for the Ivy Tech nursing program. I did retake the test. I was still not as pleased with my results, but they were high enough for me to proceed with my plans to apply for the program. Along with the applying to the program, my other goal was to be accepted. That was my biggest educational accomplishment last year. To be accepted into the program, and to start the Fall 2009 nursing class was the greatest. I also had goals about passing classes and studying hard. I managed to accomplish those goals. I knew I had to, because if I didn’t then the other goals wouldn’t have mattered.

As far as personal goals, I mentioned having more fun with my family, focusing on my family more, allowing my husband to assist me while I make our dreams come true, and preventing my habit of procrastination. I have been having more fun with my family, however it is still not as much as I would like. I have come to the understanding that this is temporary. Working and going to school takes up a lot of my time, but I will have plenty of time later to make this up to them. I have focused on my family more. They are my number one priority, and I think that they have always been. I was expecting to be able to reach a goal that I could give them all of my attention. That is just not going to happen right now. I think as long as I give them everything I can at this time; they will be okay.

As far as my procrastination, that is a goal that I accomplished in certain areas. For instance, I still find myself procrastinating when it comes to things I have to do on the computer. It does not matter if it is homework, or paperwork, or things like this essay. The computer is just not my favorite place to be. I have started a new habit that I think is helpful. For example, when I get on the computer because something is about to be due; I will do everything that I need to do on the computer that one night. That usually gets me through about two weeks. Other than that, I am staying on top of things. I thought that will keep my “to do list” small, but things are adding on as I am checking items off.

I think what worked for me last year was my planning ahead. I did a lot of planning and scheduling. I tried to keep everything in order. I plan to carry that over to this year, and hopefully it will continue to prove success. There are many things I want to change this year. Some of them, I wanted to change for a long time but have not been able to. One of my new personal goals is to get up at 6am every morning. I struggle with this a lot. I think if I get up early, then I will have more hours in my day to get things done. My mornings are very difficult. I have already tried working on this and so far no success. I am hoping I can get some help with this goal, because it is very important to me.

I failed one of my nursing classes last year. My goal this year is to pass that class and continue in the program. I know that studying and focus will be the basics to achieving this goal. I am ready, because I know that I can do it. Since I failed that class, my graduation has been pushed back until December of 2010. My next goal is to graduate in December. I think that is the biggest educational goal I have this year. I also plan to take my NCLEX exam after graduation and pass. Once I pass that test, I plan to get a job as a LPN. Other educational goals I have are: to take my ACT exam so I can apply for the two semesters LPN to RN program, apply to both of the local programs, and be accepted in one.

Some personal goals I have set for myself is to start my savings. I want to take a portion out of each check and put it in my safe. I want to have enough money to move into a bigger house saved at the end of the year. I have already started my savings. I bought my safe and put it in a place that I don’t go very often. I am trying that “out of sight, out of mind” theory. I will be very happy when I can be independent without needing help from agencies. My last personal goal is to smile more. That was my new year’s resolution, and it is a goal I am taking seriously. I have been happier since I started on that goal. I don’t think less bad things have been happening, but I think I am handling them better. I used to sit and think of all the messed up things that were going on around me. I still do that, but not as often. I think about more of the good things that are going on. I realized real quick that more positive things were happening than I knew. I think this goal will help me with the other goals. If I do them with a good attitude; my chances of accomplishment are higher.

I actually am looking forward to the rest of this year. Graduation is closer than it has ever been. I am excited to see what all happens, and how things will unfold. I am not expecting a perfect year or something out of a fairy tale. I am just ready to make one of dreams, that I feel like I have been working on FOREVER, come true. If that can happen this year; I will be the happiest person in the world. I will own 2010 as my year.

Below is a letter recently received from Graduate Scholar Jennie T from Chapman University in Orange, CA. Jennie graduated with a Masters in Organizational Leadership in 2008.

Hello, Tina & Mary,

I wanted to give you both an update on what I’ve been doing the past year…not sure if your office likes to hear that info, but the things that are pertinent to helping other foster youth, etc. I’d like to share with you if that’s OK!

Part of 2008-2009 I moved back east to Lexington KY to help out my biological sisters for a time. I moved back to California in spring 2009 (it has been my home for 13 years now), and in the fall of 2009 I started a Development Associate VISTA Americorps position with a small homeless shelter called Colette’s Children’s Home, which serves homeless women and children in the Orange County, CA area. I’m loving my work here, and I’ve gotten a volunteer program up and running for them, assisted with a large fundraising event in November, and a host of other fundraising activities.

I have remained involved at Royal Family Kids’ Camps, Inc, and this will be my 11th year of participating in their national annual fundraising banquet on February 28th. I was actually invited to be a part of a video montage that has already been shot and will play during the evening, because this it is their 20th Anniversary Banquet and they are featuring various stories of volunteers and campers throughout their years of service. I’m also working on a volunteer project for them that includes developing a timeline of important dates in the history of child abuse prevention.

Lastly, in the Fall of 2009, I started my provisional (first) membership year in the Junior League of Orange County. I wanted to join the JL for a while but needed to finish graduate school first. The Junior League requires an 8 year commitment (one provisional year and 7 active years) so it is a huge commitment to take on. One of the primary reasons I joined was because the JL in Orange County’s primary focus has always been assisting foster youth–they have over 500 active women out in the community serving in various ways to support local nonprofits who are involved with area foster youth. I have LOVED my first JL year, and just got selected to serve in a vacant spot for this year on the Grants and Scholarships committee, and was informed this past weekend that I was selected to lead a committee for next year. The committee I was chosen for is the “Orangewood Academy” project–the Orangewood Academy is a new high school that is being developed and built in Orange County similar to San Pasqual in San Diego, and I will be the Junior League leader of our involvement in this project to determine how the Junior League will assist with this high school in coming years. I am MOST excited about this, as I just really feel like God has me in the right place at the right time and I’m going to be able to use my past experiences to help many others in significant ways who went through the same experiences I did. This new high school for foster youth really touches my heart because it was during high school that I was removed from my home and they were the most difficult years for me.

Sorry if this is long and rambling, but I have been meaning to send your office an “update” for a while. Please send this to whomever it would be appropriate to share this with. All of us former foster youth who you have invested in with your scholarships are just that much more equipped to go out and help others in big ways…obviously, I’ve had a heart for that for a while and am continuing to do that in big ways now that I’ve completed graduate school.

Thanks for all the letters, updates, holiday greetings, etc. They are truly appreciated and I smile every time I get them.

Blessings,

Jennie

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Click here to learn how to sponsor a scholarship.

Due to the weather in D.C., the Tuesday, Feb. 9 event has been canceled.

More details on the Foster Care to Success program and how groups of people can get involved will be available after March 1. In April, which is National Volunteer Month, groups of volunteers will be engaged and pursuing activities that will make a difference in so many young people’s lives.

This year, OFA will be joined by a special guest: actor and child advocate David Keith. Best known for his Golden Globe-nominated role in An Officer and A Gentleman, David is also is a spokesman for PROTECT: The National Association to Protect Children, and was recently recognized for his advocacy work with a 2008 Director’s Community Leadership Award from the FBI.

Meet a few of the 4,000 college students OFA supports annually and hear about their hopes, their dreams and their determination to succeed despite the challenges unique to having been in foster care.

Students Shanna G of Maryland, attending Morgan State University, and Faith S of South Carolina, attending Winthrop University, attended the event on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC with Orphan Foundation of America’s CEO, Eileen McCaffrey.

These scholarships are awarded based on a combination of merit and need, and funding levels are determined based on cost of attendance and other resources. Apply early!

To find out how you can support an OFA scholarship student, contact scholarships@orphan.org.

Isaiah, we are so proud of you for the work you’re doing and can’t wait to find out where you’re headed.

…..

Ask Anil Lewis about Isaiah Wilcox and prepare for a long list of accolades. The young man is on fire. He’s accepted his blindness, and he’s moving forward, said Lewis, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Georgia (NFBGA). He has a lot of energy, a lot of passion.

He’s a transformative leader. That energy and passion are part of the reasons Wilcox received NFBGA’s Keith Tonge Leadership Award at the Downtown Decatur Holiday Inn in October. Wilcox, who is president of the board of the Georgia Association of Blind Students (GABS), an organization that he brought from a membership of three students two years ago to about 50 today, according to Lewis.

Wilcox, 21, is currently a junior studying business administration at Morehouse College. His goals are to get a degree in public relations and eventually open his own business. Wilcox was born five weeks premature with optical atrophy, a disease that impairs the nerve. He’s been blind since birth. My ultimate goal is to continue to get more involved in the community and really change what it means to be blind, said Wilcox. He said it’s crucial that statistics be improved such as the 70 percent unemployment rate among the blind and the 45 percent high school graduation rate among blind students.

And this isn’t Wilcox’s first recognition from NFBGA. In 2008, he was the recipient of a $3,000 college scholarship from the organization. I am dedicated to motivating, improving, and inspiring the lives of others to reach their highest potential educationally, professionally, and personally, is a quote attributed to Wilcox from the GABS Web site.