ROBBINSDALE, Minn. — Thousands of Minnesota kids are in foster care. For hundreds of them, there is no going back to their birth parents. A local non-profit aims to find families for these kids by helping them put their best foot forward.
The Reel Hope Project is was born of Kaycee Stanley’s own experiences when she told people about her and her husband’s desire to adopt.
“When we told people we wanted to adopt kids someday, usually people were like 'Oh yeah, do it,'” she said. “But if we said we wanted to adopt kids from foster care, a lot of times we got a lot of concern and hesitation and like, 'Are you sure about that?'”
She realized there was a need to break the stigma around kids who are in foster care, through no fault of their own, and just need families.
“There’s a lot of myths I would say around kids in foster care,” Stanley explained.
Part of that is so often the focus is on the traumas and challenges these kids may have faced and not on their personalities.
“This is still a kid and they still have a smile and a laugh and they’re a goofball and they deserve a good family,” she said.
The Reel Hope Project creates videos of the kids highlighting their interests, their talents and what family means to them.
Stanley began working with county social services, faith communities and adoption agencies to match kids with families.
At any given point there are 10,000 Minnesota kids in foster care. For about 1,000 kids, their parents have had parental rights terminated. Those are the kids Reel Hope focuses on.
“I love teenagers and learned it’s often the teenagers and older kids who get stuck in the system,” Stanley said.
In videos you see 12-year-old Tatiana explain that “a family is someone who cares about you.” Alfonzo,12, says “a parent’s job is to take care of you. Feed you, keep you up when you’re feeling low.” He is seen showing off his soccer skills.
Seven year old Braiden talks about his love of super heroes.
Lilly says “my friends would probably describe me as energetic, optimistic, funny, weird.” And 13 year old Taniya says “if I could do one thing every day I would probably figure skate every day.”
Each child has their own unique viewpoints, and all are in need of forever families.
The Reel Hope Project has made 90 videos so far. About half of those kids have been adopted or are in the process of being adopted.
One of those kids is Kaycee’s soon to be adopted son – who she met on a shoot.
How can you help? Watch the videos and share them. Talk about the needs of kids in foster care. Be supportive to adoptive families. Or donate to The Reel Hope Project.