Getting to the real you

Hi blog family!

hope your well and living your best life!

As I set out to complete my goals for 2015, I often wonder how many foster and former fosters ever reach their full potential? How many ever get to the real person they are?

As of today you are!
Ask yourself:
 what was I born to do
 who am I
 why am I hear?
NO self judgment, just observe what defenses come up, ("I don't know") OR what gifts you have that come to your thoughts, (singer, writer, artist, organizer, healer etc)
* these are all gifts that will help you reach YOUR full potential.
* You are like NO other on earth and God gave you ALL the tools you need to get started to greatness!
***ACTION is all that is required!****

How do I take action?

You must learn to write down ALL your goals, small and large..if you can't SEE it, you can't believe it!
Writing down goals help you see what your doing and stay on track!
I promise you writing down your goals ALWAYS produces real results!

 For instance, I wrote down that I wanted to have my own late night talk show, be a comedian and perform at a known comedy club like Gotham.
I now host a cable show, (On The Town, interviewing comedians & other talented people in NY), (late night takes time, I am patient), lol and I have performed at Gotham Comedy Club, The Metropolitan Room and Caroline's since writing those goals down!

I could just give up but I don't because I know this is what I was born to do and doing standup comedy is the best way to make that happen! Since I first saw Carol Burnett and Johnny Carson, I knew I wanted to make people laugh and interview all Entertainment- this way I thought at 12 if everyone knew who I was, they would help me help more foster kids!

first thing I did was take a class to make sure I had the right skills to write jokes  IF I did not have the money for a class I would have went on www.Badslava.com and found out where open mics are, open mics are spots, Usually bars), that comics go practice in by singing up and getting 4-8 minutes on stage to practice their jokes.
I made a commitment to go to open mics at least 3x a week but I know a great comedian goes out every night!
If you have a goal, write it down and see what you need and who you need to talk to too find out how to get to the goal. Sometimes you have to stay up later than others writing or singing or whatever your skill but that persistence to be the best at what you do and never giving up is what will lead you to your greatness.
Get to writing!xo
T

saying thank you gratitude is everything

Hi blog family!

hope you are all well and have made your New Years resolutions in writing, on paper!

Wanted to chat a minute about thank you.

I thank the college youth that sent out thank you letters after receiving their gift boxes for the holidays!
There are some who still have not sent thank you self addressed stamp envelope back! I do not write this to put them on blast BUT to inform ALL foster youth: When someone, anyone, takes time or money out of their pocket to help you without asking for anything but a thank you to donors...DO IT!!
Your thank you may be the difference on other donors helping! Thanks to our Board member Sara and her spreading the word and my friends, we were able to provide 18 gift boxes this year! We might have had more if kids from last year would have sent a thank you, some from a local college never sent a thank you- which I think effected who from last year helped.

While I never do this work expecting a thank you MANY people who do give, especially when they had to choose WHO to give to, want to hear a thank you!

I ask for social workers and counselors to PLEASE teach our foster youth to say thank you in a letter or email and why it is crucial! I was surprised that a counselor would not follow through with their youth saying thank you for gift boxes. I understand some kids feel they are owed OR they don't think it matters to say thank you, I am telling you now, thank you could mean less or more help for you in the future. No one wants to feel unappreciated and remember many donors were NOT foster youth so they don't understand how we don't think its no big deal, I am telling you it IS always a big deal when ANYONE who is honest and wants nothing back, helps you!!! YOU MUST SAY THANK you so that you do not ruin it for other kids after you!

I got a nice video thank you from a young man who is a talented dancer, in fact, I have not been that excited about dancing since Michael Jackson! (yes, he and his friends are that talented!). I also got a beautiful letter from one of our graduates- much thanks to you! We also got a few other short thank you letters/notes/card. Just remember when you say thank you to donors PLEASE give us a little detail of how the items helped you if you cant think of what to say...People want to know where their money is going and you don't EVER have to give your name IF you don't choose to, I totally respect that BUT you can give a paragraph of why or how something helped you.
If we want donors to help we must be mindful that sharing your story or why something helped you, (no name details needed), is crucial for others helping us help you!

xo
smile, someone is watching you! :)
T
*if you need to reach us or would like a Robert Cooper Memorial Scholarship Application please email: FosterKidsUniteInc@gmail.com

Legally Kidnapped: Former foster children too often end up on welfare...

Legally Kidnapped: Former foster children too often end up on welfare...: Former foster children too often end up on welfare in B.C.: report There has been little improvement in the dire outcomes experienced by c...



Hi Blog family!

sharing from Legally Kidnapped - this info is no surprise as we often don't have family to turn to and if we do find family, often they are of no resourceful use to us if they are on drugs, in jail or on public assistance.



Starting as early as 3rd grade teaching foster youth, especially those in group homes/orphanages to set their life up for success. Good grades, college or trade school, linking in with friends and people that will help them when they don't know what to do about basic life issues; saving money, opening a bank account, building credit, why higher education is vital, all of these things are taught by a good parent, if we don't have one or both, how is this info going to be taught, processed and then carried out with daily small steps?



Don't beat yourself up if your one of many who needed some form of public assistance, section 8 or medical insurance.  Many look down on those that need help BUT they are not in your shoes, can never walk in your shoes and would probably have died IF they had to wear your shoes!! lol Atleast you are still standing and figuring out how to make your life better and more productive!

For the new year, I hope each of you take out paper and pen and write down your long term goals, (example: learn how to edit on final cut pro)..and short term goal; find free final cut pro classes, youtube how to do final cut pro or call the local community college and see if they offer the class, how much and are there scholarships. (You would be surprised how many scholarships, (money you don't have to pay back) are out there! If you live in Westchester County, NY Jacob Burns has film editing classes and many other film related courses AND they offer scholarships if you show financial hardship! DO YOUR RESEARCH!! if you want to learn a new skill or go to school, find a social worker or counselor at any local school and ask them what you need to do, but do something to assure you have a better future.



Life is always bringing challenges, its how we deal with them that matters! Face each challenge head on and IF you need government help, do what you have to to eat, breath and stay alive and warm, its cold out there!! PLAN for your future today- write down what you want, how you can get it, who can help you get closer to it and what YOU need to do to make it happen- YOU are your only HERO in the game of life, don't be scared be excited that you have been granted another day of life, if your reading this blog life can't be that bad, as you have internet! :) Be grateful, stay humble and stay hungry for more and to be a better you!

And tomorrow, the sun also rises, this too shall pass and you will look back and say, I never gave up" T

xo



Tanya

You Got The Dirtee Love (Live at The BRIT Awards 2010)uplifting song

hey blog family!



just sending a song of inspiration. we all have days when we feel down or we have self doubt- that is normal but staying in it, is not!

find a song that inspires or motivates you out of sadness- free on youtube! Always refer back to that song when things seem hard.

I hope you are all having a great new year!

We were able to help 18 aged out/fosters  this gift box season! Many thanks to our donors who worked hard to get items into those boxes!

We congratulate Mercy, as she has graduated and is now applying to grad school! Go girl! Remember only 6% finish college- they say but FosterKidsUnite, Inc. hopes by helping those in school we see them through hard times, therefore making it more probable that each of our kids complete their degree.

If you need to reach us: FosterKidsUniteInc@gmail.com



Please save the end of May for our yearly awareness event!



*Thank you to our Board members, Iris, Megan *a special thanks to Judy and Sara.

*To Sara's friends, co-workers and neighbors who donated: THANK YOU!!!

*To my comic friends  Maryelle Turner, Erin Vacarellie also earring designer, Kacey Petre and clothing designer John for donating lovely shirts for our guys and earrings for our girls!