Local High Schooler Making Care Packages For Foster Kids
She wrote: After my family and I were involved in a horrific accident that left me paraplegic, our lives changed overnight. We were forced to adapt to a new reality, a new place, and a new way of living. During that time, something extraordinary happened — the community we knew, and even people we didn’t know, stepped forward to support us in every way possible. They helped us feel safe, supported, and included during one of the hardest moments of our lives.That experience showed me the true power of community. It taught me that healing doesn’t happen alone, and that no one should be left behind simply because their journey looks different. Not everyone can walk the same path or travel the same distance, but we can always help each other move a few stops ahead.
While I was in the hospital, I witnessed something that stayed with me forever. I saw children in the foster care system packing their belongings into garbage bags — with no one visiting them, no one to call their own, no one sending care packages to remind them they are loved. Watching that broke my heart. In that moment, I realized that even something small — a care package, a note, a simple act of kindness — can remind someone they matter. At the very least, we can do this.