The Forgotten Initiative - Bloomington-Normal

"The Forgotten Initiative focuses on connecting the Body of Christ to the foster care community: agencies, foster parents, vulnerable adults and children."

Do you ever take the time to think of children in the foster care system? If or when you do, do you have the thoughts of, "Do they have everything they need?" "Are they treated like they matter?" "How are they going to take care of themselves when they don't get adopted or age out of the system?" And did you know that they are the ones that are suffering when they are taken out of their homes and away from everything they have ever known. If you haven't thought of them, then you know they have been forgotten. The Forgotten Initiative is an organization that reminds us that we can do something to help these children and make them feel special and that they truly are wanted and this is done through the message of Jesus Christ.

The Forgotten Initiative is an organization that was founded and based in Bloomington-Normal. It focuses on helping children in the foster care system, foster-care families, and the departments involved in taking in the children and placing them. It is a Christian based organization but you don't have to be of a certain religion or have be involved in a church but there are many ways that you can contribute to each of these individuals' lives, in ways that are small but are huge to the ones that receive. Please take the time to read and think about what you can do, no matter how small, even if you just pass along the information, you are helping!

"Our Method: Mobilize the Body of Christ"

Story

Started in April of 2011

Founder: Jamie Kaeb

Jamie's Story

Jamie Kaeb is the one who founded and started The Forgotten Initiative. Her and her husband were in the process of trying to adopt a child. But for some reason it was just not the right time for it to happen. Of course they didn't understand why it didn't happened, but Jamie was able to focus and ask God more on "If not now, what do you want to do with me?" She found herself still wanting to try adoption again and found three siblings in Arkansas that were in need of a family. And she said that God was not ready for this to happen for them. And as she was looking for more information on these three children she came across information on a ministry called The C.A.L.L. ( for more information on The C.A.L.L. visit http://www.thecallinarkansas.org/). The C.A.L.L. was what opened Jamie's eyes to how she could help and that is how The Forgotten Initiative was began. There is a five-minute video for you to see on this website on what the ministry The C.A.L.L. is about. After watching that video Jamie just couldn't believe what she had just seen. And she took the initiative to go to a DCFS office and asked to see where the children coming in to service, wait for the foster parents or for placement; rooms, furniture, anywhere they may wait. When they took her to the room what she saw mortified her. She recalled that there was "hard furniture, old, dirty toys, books that were ripped and torn. Nothing in that room said, "you are special." "You are worth more." And so that became our mission. To create a space that says, "You are special."

With this inspiration to start something that would have these children realize that they are worth something and that they deserve more, The Forgotten Initiative began. With what she saw and what she experienced, she realized that there is so much that we can do for these children and families, and even through something as simple as donating. And her goal is to put the will of God into effect and spread the message that when you think that no one is there for you and to love you, that you can remember that there is always someone there that cares and loves you more than anything.

Who They Help

*The children brought in *Foster parents *State and private foster care *Children aging out

Active, Ongoing Projects

Drives

-The State can't always provide everything for the foster families and children they may need, so this drive helps with the collection of donations consisting of: diapers, school supplies, first aid kits, etc

Project Sunshine

-"After children are removed from their homes, they wait for hours in agency rooms until a foster home is located. Project Sunshine was birthed out of a desire to create friendly spaces for kids during this dark time in their lives. With every room make over we complete, our prayer is that children know how very special they are."

Beautification Team

-The team that redecorates the rooms for Project Sunshine also helps provide maintenance to the rooms with a monthly replacement of broken, overused, toys, and other room maintenance needs.

Journey Bags

-This is a project for the many children that come into care that don't have any of their items with them, because some were immediately removed from their home or aren't able to take items with them when taken. The bags are filled with items that the children need to get by at their new residence.

Birthday Club

-There are many children who don't have other family involved in their lives and this project has random people (mostly churches) who sign up to write letter(s) to a particular/many children on their birthdays to let them know they are not forgotten and that someone is thinking of them on THEIR day.

Welcome Home Baskets

-The children who are aging out of the system, normally do so without anything to get them started for life on their own. These baskets are filled with donated items such as gift cards and household items to help get them started.

Mentoring

-"TFI desires to go deep as we connect the Body of Christ to the needs of the foster care community. All of our initiatives have one common purpose, to glorify the Lord and be His hands and feet in an effort to reach the individual. The most effective way to share Jesus is by actually stepping out and into the lives of the forgotten. TFI is committed to educating, equipping, and supporting mentors to meet the needs of the foster care community."

How Can You Help?

Do you feel the need or want to help in this amazing project?

-You can go to this link and fill out the form: http://theforgotteninitiative.org/#iwanttohelp

Thank You!

Want to Make a Donation?

-You can make a donation by:

Check ~ make payable to "Lifesong for Orphans" and the name of the project you would like to help out.

Mail to: Lifesong for Orphans

Attn: The Forgotten Initiative

P.O. Box 40

Gridley, IL 61744

Credit Card (through PayPal)

link here: http://www.theforgotteninitiative.org/#donation

and again indicate "The Forgotten Initiative" and the project you wish to support.

For more information go to: http://www.theforgotteninitiative.org/#donation

If you follow/Like on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/#!/forgotteninitiative), they will post periodically, items that are needed for a foster family or child, i.e. baby mattress, crib, anything that you can spare that will help another.