Today we’d like to introduce you to Carin Bird.
Hi Carin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In 2018, I looked around at my husband and three children and became overwhelmingly heartbroken for the multitude of children without the warmth and love of parents. My children lay down every night with full bellies, in a safe and loving home where they know that they are immensely loved and know that their biggest aspirations will be met with encouragement as well as support. The grief that I was feeling for children without this was deep and while I could not shake the feeling, I was unsure of what my next steps were.
Being surrounded by a community with a huge heart for adoption and foster care, I learned more and more about challenges children in foster care face. Learning the staggering statistics about youth aging out of foster care was incredibly eye-opening. I learned that upon aging out of foster care, they are instantly homeless; left with no relational or financial support. Ultimately, many end up incarcerated, trafficked, or worse. The statistics, once learned, are not easily forgettable.
In 2019, Angela Lippens and myself founded Unfaulted as a non-profit. Unfaulted exists to build a foundation for young women who have aged out of the foster care system. We currently have 9 members in our program, 3 of those who have graduated and are now interning with us. The change we have seen in our girls when they have a community that believes in them and walks alongside the hurdles of life has been tremendous!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The journey of Unfaulted has not been smooth but it has taught me so much. Preconceived notions have been thrown out of the window time and time again, I have been humbled, stretched, and learned so much in this process. Before Unfaulted, I had little to no knowledge about foster care. Likewise, I had never entered into the non-profit world and yet there I was attempting to help a population with no prior knowledge of either. While my feelings of being unqualified and unequipped are valid feelings, I know that I have been called to this work. I want to be an advocate for a demographic that is often forgotten and overlooked. Walking alongside our members has taught me so much about grit and determination when chasing after something you truly have a passion for. I know that obstacles and challenges will always be present, but I also know that navigating each always brings growth and knowledge.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am the Co-Founder & Chief Operations Officer of Unfaulted. Unfaulted is a non-profit that exists to build a foundation for young women who have aged out of the foster care system by helping them grow through community, sharing the gospel and providing education, to equip them to be successful, independent adults.
Unfaulted introduces our members to a community of volunteers as well as former foster youth who want to see them succeed. The importance of healthy community is tremendous, it is something many of these young adults have never before experienced. We have seen our young women soar when they have a team of people around them that encourage and believe in them.
Unfaulted provides education through various ways, one being our Empowered conferences. We host six a year, where we bring in other adults who also experienced care to speak on various topics. These events allow our members to focus on topics such as Relationships, Health & Wellness, Finances, Education, Hobbies & Interests, and Careers. Another way we help educate our members is by assisting them with utilizing state benefits offered to them due to having been in care. Education and housing benefits that are offered to former foster youth can be life-changing as they step out into the world but often, they do not even know where to start.
I am beyond proud of every single one of our members, they continue to show up, work towards a bright future and invest in themselves. Our members are some of the most incredible people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. They have faced more adversity and seen the worst of the worst but have the biggest hearts.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.unfaulted.org
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/unfaultedco
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/unfaulted
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/unfaultedco
- Other: linktr.ee/unfaulted
Image Credits
Fuller Grace Photography
