Open Heart Communities
A Testimony from "Rochelle Crybaby"
"Okay, well being in the system during high school sucks. You can't be left anywhere unattended. Everyone looks at you differently for not being with your real parents and sometimes the people you go to aren't very nice. My foster parents would use the checks they got for us to spend on drugs, video games, and even a new tv. The classes that they take to become a foster parent are useless if the parent doesn't follow what they learn. If you try to speak up they use fear tactics such as, "If you go to another foster home you could be raped, beaten, etc." But, honestly? I was already dealing with those types of things at home; physical, mental, and sexual abuse. I was 17 years old and there was nowhere that I could go except halfway houses and group homes. And even that was short lived. After moving out, I only had $200 to my name with no family to go to. I had very little support or help from anyone. In 2018, I was homeless and sleeping on a porch for an extended period of time.
A place like Open Heart Communities would have helped me a lot. It can be a safe place for kids that may go through what I did. When I was in foster care, it would have been nice to learn life skills and have support."
How to help
Open Heart Communities is always looking for volunteers and donations. Check out our Get Involved, Membership, Events and Donations pages!
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Our Mission
Open Heart Communities is dedicated to bridging the gap between foster care, residential care, and transitional living today, to give the clients we serve a better tomorrow. To this end, we identify the residential, educational, social and mental health needs of our clients and facilitate the provision of services to address those needs. We assist our clients, their families and their communities by providing high-quality services that promote: Dignity, Empowerment, Independence, Safety, Self-Esteem, and Self-sufficiency.
