A Decade of Belonging
In January, we are celebrating a remarkable milestone: 10 years of standing in the gap for kids and families impacted by foster care across Tennessee. Today, we take a look back at some incredible achievements accomplished in the last decade and the ripple effect they have created throughout the foster care community.
Founded in January of 2016 under the umbrella of America’s Kids Belong, Tennessee Kids Belong began with a simple but powerful belief: that improving experiences and outcomes for kids in foster care requires a holistic, collaborative approach. By uniting business, creative, faith, and government partners, we have invited everyone in to support kids in care and those who embrace them. We’ve seen that lives are changed when communities show up for Tennessee’s most vulnerable kids.
Over the past decade, what started as a grassroots effort has grown into a statewide movement. Here’s a look back at some of the milestones that have shaped Tennessee Kids Belong—and the thousands of lives impacted along the way.
2016: A Grassroots Beginning with Statewide Vision
Tennessee Kids Belong launched at the grassroots level, first introducing WRAP Around Ministries across the state—mobilizing faith communities to provide tangible support to foster families.
That same year, TKB began launched the I Belong Project™ amplifying the voices and stories of children in foster care who were legally free for adoption. The resulting videos supported family recruitment efforts and highlighted that behind every statistic there is a child longing to belong.
TKB also played a leading role in spearheading the TNFOSTERS campaign alongside the Department of Children’s Services and the Governor’s Office. Tennessee Kids Belong helped build the campaign’s communications and materials, hosted events across the state, and leveraged the convening power of a growing coalition.
Something to celebrate: For four consecutive years (2017–2020), Tennessee Kids Belong surpassed all goals related to foster parent recruitment and adoption of children in full guardianship. Our work was making a difference. Ripples were being felt across the state.
2018: Becoming an Independent Nonprofit
In 2018, we became a 501(c)(3) organization and established our own a Board of Directors. While continuing to operate as an affiliate of America’s Kids Belong, this milestone allowed us to expand programming, partnerships, and statewide impact with an even greater focus and sustainability.
2019: Innovative Invitation to the Business Community
Innovation took center stage in April 2019 with the launch of the Foster Friendly® Business Program (originally known as the Business Impact Program). The program began with a broad vision – job fairs for older youth in care, Foster Friendly workplace policies, and connections between businesses and foster families.
What emerged was a powerful and enduring model: businesses using their influence, resources, and everyday services to tangibly support foster families and caregivers throughout Tennessee.
2020: Launch of the Foster Friendly® App
In November 2020, Tennessee Kids Belong launched the Foster Friendly® App, a groundbreaking tool designed with foster parents in mind. Businesses receive listings by offering unique products or services to provide meaningful support to foster and kinship families in their community. Through the App, verified foster and kinship families can access and activate their Foster Parent Discount Card. The universal card provides a discreet and dignified way for families to access support.
What began as a resource for locating Foster Friendly Businesses has since expanded to include Community Partners, Foster Friendly Faith Communities, and events – all in one place. Today, the app is utilized across all 12 states where America’s Kids Belong has programming, extending Tennessee’s innovation far beyond state lines.
2021: Statewide Awareness & Strategic Collaboration
In 2021, TKB partnered with Governor Lee’s Administration and Show Hope to help launch TN Fosters Hope, a statewide initiative focused on raising awareness about foster care needs in Tennessee.
This collaboration laid the foundation for deeper partnership – leading to trauma-informed trainings and continued recruitment efforts for children featured through the I Belong Project™.
2024: Every Child Tennessee & Looking Ahead
In 2024, Tennessee Kids Belong began working alongside the Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives through the Every Child Tennessee initiative. During the first contract year (July 2024–July 2025), TKB surpassed all established goals, reinforcing its role as a trusted partner in recruitment and retention efforts by hosting 85 foster parent recruitment panel events, launched over 100 WRAP teams, and reached into previously unserved rural areas.
Over the years, Tennessee Kids Belong has grown in size, scale, and reach while collaborating with local, statewide and national partners. While the milestones are worth celebrating, the true achievement is the amount of lives that have been impacted by our work. We’re thankful for the kids who are able to remain in their communities because foster parents have opened their homes, we’re thankful for the faith communities that share about the need and their congregations who step up to wrap around families, we’re thankful for the businesses who want to do more and go above and beyond to serve foster families, we’re thankful for every volunteer who has loved on kids at an I Belong Project™ video shoot, and we’re thankful for every person who has watched and shared a video to help connect a child with a forever family. We’ve seen the ripple effects create incredible change and look forward to sharing stories in the coming weeks.
Here’s to the next 10 years of hope, collaboration, and belonging!
