Last Fall, volunteers and community partners gathered at NorthStar Church in Knoxville, TN for a special I Belong Project for kids in search of a permanent family in East Tennessee.
Because of Northstar Church‘s willingness to open their doors, many of the incredible kiddos we met have already been matched with potential families and we are hoping to see this same result for the remainder of the kids we had the honor of filming that day as well.
The I Belong Project™ exists to help kids in foster care find permanency, connection, and belonging. Days like this don’t just produce beautiful photos and videos – they create memories, inspire hope, and invite families across Tennessee to say “yes” to foster care and adoption.
LET’S TAKE A MINUTE TO MEET THE KIDS
Each of these brave kids, came to share their stories on film, in hopes of being connected to the adoptive families they long for! Please take a moment to click on each of their photos below, listen to their words, and consider taking the next step to learn more about their need for a family.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
This event was a tangible reminder of the impact a community can make when they all decide to use their resources and gifts to support vulnerable kids in need.
Because of many who gave, kids in foster care were not only able to be given their best possible chance of a family by taking the time to share their story on film, but they were also able to experience the incredible impact of being wrapped by an amazing community.
Kids enjoyed unforgettable moments, intentional time by volunteers, special surprises, and personalized gifts – creating an environment where they could feel safe, seen, and celebrated to be themselves.
A HUGE THANK YOU to each partner who gave their best time and gifts to every child who joined!
- Northstar Church – Venue + Volunteers
- Jockey Being Family Foundation – Backpacks
- Balloon Garden Knox – Balloons
- Bakeroos 4 Hope – Custom Cookies
- Rio Revolution Church – Lunch
- We Rock the Spectrum Knoxville – Breakfast
- Motion Creative Media, Tyler Hayes – Videographers
- Nate Croft, Kara Hudgens – Photographers
From personalized backpacks and books to confidence-boosting beauty moments, every detail communicated the same message: you matter.
NORTHSTAR CHURCH MAKING AN IMPACT
“YOUR YES IS GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT FROM NORTHSTAR, BUT TAKE IT!” –Susan Simerly
Last Fall, we sat down with Local Missions Coordinator, Susan Simerly at Northstar Church, to talk about their involvement and experience as a Foster Friendly® Faith Community. They are not only working to equip their team and volunteers on how to support foster and adoptive families when they walk through their doors, but they are doing incredible work even beyond the doors of their building and wrapping around their foster care community in a beautiful way!
