Kentucky Kids Belong started in 2019, as a pilot of America’s Kids Belong. Our mission is to improve the experiences and outcomes for kids in Kentucky’s foster care system.
Our programs include:
I Belong Project
Our flagship video storytelling project gives a face and voice to kids in foster care who are legally free to be adopted and helps connect them with prospective adoptive families and forever homes.
Foster Friendly Businesses
Through our innovative Foster Friendly App area businesses can lend valuable community support to kinship and foster parents by creating an offer or services to lend valuable support as they care for kids.
Foster Friendly Faith Communities
Our Foster Friendly App also helps families locate faith communities that are welcoming and supportive of kinship and foster families, not just in Kentucky, but nationwide.
Meet Our Kentucky Team
Dayna Gleason
State Manager
Dayna has worked with Kentucky Kids Belong since 2019. Her first glimpse into the need for families to foster and adopt came when she lived overseas. After returning to the U.S. she saw how the need was prevalent here as well. Her favorite parts of her job are meeting some incredible kids and social workers, as well as celebrating when these kids find permanency and the love they long for!
Valerie Buccola
Community Engagement Manager
Valerie is a foster and adoptive mom. She also provides respite care and is a court-appointed state advocate (CASA) volunteer for foster youth. Before fostering, Valerie was a Registered Respiratory Therapist for 10 years at different trauma hospitals throughout the country. She also volunteers to photograph foster children for adoption advocacy and has done many adoption-day photos for foster families.
Ellen Greeley
I Belong Project Manager
Ellen joins the KY Kids Belong team after having first served as a volunteer for the I Belong ProjectTM. She enjoys learning about the gifts, interests, and dreams of the kids at the shoots and rallying the community to support the mission. She loves being a part of such an important work—helping children find loving families where they can thrive and belong.
Megan Lesnau
Community Engagement Manager
Megan has spent the majority of her career working with youth in foster care and foster families in several capacities. She began working with Kentucky Kids Belong as a social worker who appreciated all the KYKB does, once her career moved in a new direction she was able to begin volunteering her time at the filmings and fell in love with the organization. She looks forward to each and every event with excitement and feels blessed after every event.