NYer Of The Week: Writer Inspires Foster Care Children To Share Their Stories

NYer Of The Week: Writer Inspires Foster Care Children To Share Their Stories
Our speaker for May 16th - Liz Welch!! Amazing journalist! FosterKidsUnite thanks Liz and her siblings for sharing their story and helping other kids in care!

Mayor Micheal Cindrich, (left) Hon. Kathy E. Davidson, (at podium), Tanya Cooper, Founder - FosterKidsUnite (blog).read event at chappaquapatch.com (story was by Tom)

*If everyone shared their bad experience in life, others would be able to move forward. At some point we all have lost a mom or dad and for others, a sibling.. Share, you will be surprised to see what we ALL have in common!! I always say: I have no secrets because God did not bring me through something for nothing!! lol

Keep sharing those who lost both parents, in foster care, you never know who's life you will change or save!!
Our event to raise awareness was a success! I love my town. I have built so many life lasting connections here! I could not do this work (while searching for a sponsor), without all of my brothers great friends!!

Big thanks to Our Mayor Cindrich for helping us out!
Fazzinga Roofing in Bedford Hills, :) you are all amazing,

Our honorees were amazing, thank you your Hon. Kathy E. Davidson, your work is very important to children and families!
Thank you Norma Staley for the 17 lives you have touched, keeping siblings together, believing in your foster kids, even when you are told they "can't"...amazing work..God always has the last say!!
Sen. Greg Ball, thanks for awarding proclamations, FosterKidsUnite believes community is everyone working together to bring awareness, thank you and your staff!
BIG THANKS!!!!!

- thanks to those who provided food!!
 our event was a hit!
No event is great without food!! lol




 Furman Printing - Bedford Hills
my partner Megan, thank you for everything you do!! "we never give up"

Hi blog family!

Don't forget award winning Journalist, Liz Welch, "The Kids Are All Right" sharing her family memoir based on losing their parents 3 years apart! May 16th 4-6pm Mount Kisco Public Library!
 RSVP!!!
free event to the public, (refreshments)


while I am embarrassed to show this picture, I want you to look closely at how thin I was, how my hair had fallen out - I first came into foster care around 5 but I came to the suburbs, (my first "foster home"), around 6 and then to this home around 7. As you can see I was extremely thin the first years, I had came malnourished and SO hungry!! It was due to my birth mothers addiction that we would often be left alone to fend for ourselves, which resulted in eating only what we could find!

Don't be sad for me, I made it through! I wanted anyone who is in  a bad situation now and think you can't survive, You can - you are a winner! Sometimes we have to go through bad experiences to become who we are!

If I had not been given away by my mom due to her addiction, I would be less likely to have a need to be an advocate for foster kids!
I am grateful God spared my life and even though I was abused at a young age by two foster brothers in my foster homes, (one went to jail for 7 years for abusing a 15 year old from the school he worked at and " his 4 year old niece, (who he really served no time for because he "told" what he did to her...so much for justice).
You can look at things and be sad or be thankful for how strong it made you. I have to remember that I had a host of other foster brothers - that were great! I also had my brother with me until I was 18 and signed myself back in to girls residence in NYC! I want you to view your "problems and challenges" in a different light from now on - pull out the positive and process, talk about and release the negative effects!!
By speaking of the good that came out of the bad, you minimize the pain and sadness that can come from being abandoned, abused and neglected!!!
God bought me through this for something!! Yes, I was born to a mother with addiction issues - I'm blessed she did not abort me!!
Yes, She went so far into her addiction, she neglected us and chose to not show up, losing her rights" - but she could have left us in our no lights, no food, no interaction with people home, and we could have burned down the house by accident, (that almost happened when my brother took matches to the curtain, thank God my sister was washing my hair and next to water!!)
Yes, I had to move around for my first 7 years and live with mass amount of mean kids who teased me - but I still was able to go to Paris and become a runway model! (I had the last laugh)
and Yes, I faced homelessness, being attacked outside a village park randomly, being hospitalized - left for dead, and becoming a mother at 23! But I could have been dead from the first two and becoming a mother actually helped me get the therapy I needed to heal from being abused and being left in an orphanage at a young age!
The point is: Nothing happens without reason! IF you are lucky to survive, God had a lesson for you to learn and grow from OR teach others!!
Stop feeling sorry for yourself, stop complaining about negative things in your life FOCUS on the good people, get out and see new places and remember life ain't nothing but a learning experience for us ALL, rich, poor, black, white - everyone must learn or go through something!!
You are blessed and I am thankful today looking at this picture (60 pounds later, lol), that I have food, some of the same friends from that class and grade! and I found people who love me and I am truly happy!! Find your happiness in the pile of life!!! xo
Tanya

Hi blog family!!

May 16th is approaching for our Celebration - did you RSVP?? tgirlcooper@yahoo.com - you don't want to miss this event!!
So much is going on in in the world, just this last month with Boston, who knows when you will encounter an orphan?
The world is a great place and you should be ready to help others - at any time!
Come out Thursday May 16th and learn about how to keep Siblings connected.
 I will be sharing a piece with you from my book: "Surviving Foster Care and Making It Work For You!" my heart breaking separation story from my older sister and baby brother!

Award wining Journalist, Liz Welch, "The Kids Are All Right" will be sharing her story of being separated from her siblings following the death of both parents, the subject of her memoir!
Congratulations to The Recipient of The Robert Cooper Memorial Scholarship!! Congrats to our honorees!

This is a FREE community event!
When:   May 16, 2013 - 4-6pm
Where: The Mount Kisco Public Library 2nd fl
*(if your on time and stay..refreshments served:) lol

Change cannot happen until community gets involved and WE ALL do SOMETHING to help those without parents and resources!!

Because of my brothers generous friends, someones life will be changed, R.I.P little brother!!:)

"Do what you can, with what you have" is what my brother Rob use to say and I share this with you,
so that you can NOT wait until you RICH, Famous, to help others
 but now with what little you have! Everyone has a gift! How can you use yours to help others?
You are your brother - and sisters keeper!!

 I have no "money" but I am able to help kids through people who do!
 Remember this: MOST people WANT to help - but sometimes you have to ask!

FosterKidsUnite is looking for a sponsor - please contact us if your interested!!
Smile, someone is watching you!! xo Tanya