Selfless Love Foundation on mission to help foster children find ‘forever families’

“Foster care is an imperfect solution to an impossible problem.” Those words from Lived Experience Expert, Gaelin Elmore, resonated with me as I attended the 2022 Texas Child Care Administrators Conference. Gaelin spoke about the importance of building a sense of belonging to unlock the potential of youth involved in the foster care system. Living in survival mode, they have spent most of their lives not knowing what it feels like to be part of a family or community.

Former foster youth from across Florida stepped into Selfless Love Foundation’s Dream Tank for the chance of a lifetime. The annual competition, which invites contestants to share their aspirations with a panel of judges, took place on Friday, May 13 at The Breakers.

When it comes to foster care, there are a lot of complexities to each individual’s experience, from the kind of placement you’re in, to the kind of mental health struggles that you might be facing.

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and forget what truly matters — human connection. The people we surround ourselves with play a crucial role in shaping our lives and influencing our decisions.