I meant to respond to a text “I CAN” and my “auto-correct” typed “CANCELLED !!” Well, that is so perfect, it says it all and it did make me chuckle! Seriously, this is one of the words that has become one of the negative terms heard too many times in 2020. The list is long of the terms, phrases, names, and “buzz-words” that have dominated the news media in this last year that I’d like to be “cancelled” for 2021. Two major areas of concern that I wish would be cancelled are domestic violence and child abuse. The media has brought attention to the fact that these statistics were on the rise in 2020.

I wish we could have cancelled this year for all the obvious negative reasons. But I am the “forever optimist” and want to try to think of the positives of this past year from my perspective of Geary Foster Foundations’ mission: the need for foster homes in a community of support for foster children in Texas. We have had good things happen in 2020, yet we have had our share of “cancellations” with our Open House event and our fundraiser events. We have received several grants recently to answer our capital campaign for home #2 because they recognize that building a home and giving shelter to foster children is essential. We know that “building” a home cannot be an immediate solution to an immediate need, but the more homes we can build, the more children we can help. We are blessed with faithful donors who continue to support our cause in these difficult times, and we can’t thank them enough.

Therefore, we are patiently raising funds creatively for home #2 through technology, our website, social media, and email contacts. We will wrap up this year knowing that we are moving forward to build our second home for our foster family waiting in the wings, ready to bring in more children to help. Our hearts are warmed and full as we see the faces of the children in our first home. We are moving forward with support and programs to make life better for them during their time in our home. We have helped eight children in the foster care system in Texas to date. We have a beautiful prototype of a family home with loving parents who give 100 % of their hearts and time to guiding and helping these children. We want to replicate this seven times over. One home at a time, one life at a time. I hope I live long enough to see the village!

We have opened “GiGi’s Foster Closet, on the property helping foster families in the area with their needs for clothing, shoes, books, school supplies, and toys for the children. We have foster parents in our network who are fostering one or two children from their own homes for the time being.

Let’s mask up and wrap up this pandora’s box of a year, seal it permanently, stick a bow on it and move on! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

May God Bless us all,

Susie