To the former foster youth… Tee

Foster care is lonely. You don’t realize how much you don’t know until you are thrown into the world. You’re trying to figure out what you need, but you don’t even know who can help you to figure that out.

At 16, my dad said he didn’t want me. I lived in a shelter for a few months & was sleeping with people for a place to stay. Then my dad took me back. CPS is so overworked that the social workers were purposely ignoring my situation even though people were constantly reporting me to CPS. After the last visit where they brushed my abuse under the rug, my dad tried to kill me. I finally ran away for good. I went into foster care at 17. It was better than being at home, but it still wasn’t good. I just didn’t realize how bad it was because it still wasn’t as bad as being at home.

I joined Unfaulted at 19. I was very hesitant and always pushed people away. Through the consistency of people continuing to show up, I stopped pushing them away. I was used to people seeing the worst in me, but my guide always treated me like I mattered and that I had a future that mattered. It happened slowly and I didn’t notice it as it was happening. During my time in Unfaulted I got my first apartment, I started a club for former foster youth at my university, I learned how to have healthy relationships, and I found God.

In 2022, I became one of the first girls to graduate Unfaulted. I’m now married with a new baby. My guide turned into my mom, and she walked me down the aisle when I got married and was with me when I gave birth to my child. I’m working on a degree in social work. I give back to the girls in the program and volunteer with Unfaulted regularly. My relationship with God is stronger than ever. Unfaulted gave me a family.