Fostering Change

When people think of fostering or adopting, the image that often comes to mind is a cute little baby. But what’s often forgotten are the older children—pre-teens and teens—who are just as in need of love, support, and a forever family. On this episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer welcomes Randi Thompson, co-founder of Kidsave—a remarkable nonprofit helping youth ages 9–17 in foster care and orphanages find meaningful, lasting connections and permanent homes. Randi is truly one of the “Good Humans” we’re honored to feature! Kidsave offers several incredible programs, including their flagship Weekend Miracles initiative, which connects older youth with families who are considering fostering or adoption. As Kidsave says: “When a child feels like they have someone in their corner, the world opens up to them, and they thrive.” 🎉 Upcoming Kidsave Miracle Galas: 📍 Washington, DC – May 29 📍 Los Angeles – June 7 📍 Houston – June 21 💙 May is National Foster Care Awareness Month! Comfort Cases is celebrating with events, fundraisers, and new weekly episodes every Tuesday in May. The Season 6 finale airs June 3! 💡 Have guest ideas for Season 7 (coming this Fall)? Reach out to our producer: 📧 dthalberg@comfortcases.org | info@comfortcases.org 🔗 Learn more about Kidsave and connect with them here: 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KidsaveInternational 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kidsave/ 🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.net/@kidsave 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kidsave 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kidsave/ 🌐 Website: https://www.kidsave.org ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

On today’s episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer sits down with another incredible “Good Human” — Tristian Smith. After losing his mother at the age of seven, Tristian entered the foster care system, where he experienced over 25 placements and attended 13 different schools. Despite these hardships, he never let his circumstances define him. Tristian shares the powerful story behind his memoir, Against All Odds, which chronicles his journey through the challenges of foster care and his path to becoming a voice for change. Now a retired U.S. Army Officer, Tristian continues to serve as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), a Foster Care Review Board Member, and a mentor to youth aging out of the system. His commitment to advocacy, mentorship, and reform is genuinely inspiring. 📘 Get Tristian’s book, Against All Odds, available on Amazon and wherever books are sold. 🔗 Connect with Tristian: Instagram: @undeterred_anomaly LinkedIn: Tristian Smith 📩 Have questions or guest suggestions? Please email us at info@comfortcases.org ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Don’t you just love a really good person? On today’s episode of Fostering Change you’re about to meet one. Shawn Henss is truly the definition of what we call a “Good Human.” A nice guy, with a HUGE heart. Shawn is the founder of Giving Sole, a non-profit organization that gives new shoes to youth in foster care. Technically, Shawn’s son came up with the idea for Giving Sole at the age of 10! Since founding Giving Sole in 2018, they have given away more than 3,000 new, brand-name shoes and sneakers to youth in foster care throughout Arizona, and are looking to share this generosity throughout the US. We can go on longer here, but we’d rather you listen to Shawn’s story directly from him in this beautiful interview with our host, Rob Scheer. To find out more information about Giving Sole, including how to donate, please visit: www.givingsole.org. You can also follow them on various social media channels: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/givingsole/ Instagram @giving_sole Twitter/X @givingsole Threads https://www.threads.net/@giving_sole LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/giving-sole #fostercare #givingsole #adoption ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

It’s always special when we can welcome both a returning guest and a first-time guest who are making a real difference. Join our host, Rob Scheer, as he sits down with Kate Trambitskaya and Brian Rosenberg for an urgent and eye-opening discussion about how federal cutbacks are impacting youth in foster care, LGBTQ+ youth, and other vulnerable communities. Why This Episode Matters: Kate, who last joined us in May 2022, is a passionate advocate for children, women, and families. As CEO of Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Childre,, she has expanded programs supporting expectant women facing adversity, children in institutional care overseas, and adoptees and their families here in the U.S. Brian is the founder and executive director of GWK Academy Family Building, a non-profit spin-off of the beloved Gays With Kids community. Originally focused on supporting gay and queer men in their journey to parenthood, Brian is excited to announce that starting in March 2025, GWK Academy will support ALL family-building paths for ALL LGBTQ+ individuals! 🔥 Don’t just listen—take action! 🔥 🎧 Tune in now and get informed. 💬 Join the conversation—leave a comment or question! ❤️ Like, share, and help us spread the word! The more people who hear Fostering Change, the faster we can create real, lasting impact. 📩 Have thoughts or questions? Reach out at fosteringchange@comfortcases.org or visit www.comfortcases.org—we’d love to hear from you! #FosteringChange #Podcast #LGBTQFamilies #FosterCare #Adoption #MakeAChange To find more about each organization: Spence-Chapin Facebook https://www.facebook.com/spencechapin Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spencechapinsvc/ Twitter/X https://x.com/spencechapinsvc LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/71342/ GWK Academy/Gays With Kids Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GaysWithKids Instagram @gays_with_kids; @gwkacademy Twitter/X https://www.youtube.com/@GWK LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianrrosenberg/ ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

How do you feel when you receive a hand-written note? Not an email, not a form letter. But an actual note that someone took the time to sit down and write out with a good old-fashioned pen or pencil? Pretty special right? On today’s episode of Fostering Change we welcome Jeremy Su, co-founder of “Cards for Cubs”, an organization that demonstrates how a simple handmade card can profoundly impact a child’s life by offering hope and comfort during difficult times. Since being founded in 2020, Cards for Cubs have collected and distributed more than 200,000 cards and over 400 foster care related organizations. In 2024, Cards for Cubs collected 70,000 cards. The 2025 Card Drive ends March 31. To send in cards, please visit https://cardsforcubs.org/. We’re so happy to call Jeremy a friend, and know that you’ll love hearing why he’s doing this and what’s to come! TO CONTACT & DONATE, PLEASE VISIT: Website https://cardsforcubs.org/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thecardsforcubs Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CardsForCubs/ ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.