Donor gives Colorado Rockies tickets for families within foster care system
Raise the Future is a nonprofit organization that works to find permanency for older children, sibling groups and children with a disability who are living in foster care. Their Youth Connection Advocates are experts at digging deep into a youth's past and finding adults who are willing to make a connection. After that connection is made, the organization wraps that relationship in services that will help it flourish.
Recently, Raise the Future was able to provide a little fun to a dozen of it's families. A generous donor gave the organization more than 40 tickets to a Rockies game.
"Our donors are amazing," said Mariana Pino, Vice President of Programs at Raise the Future.
Pino helped coordinate the donation. A gift that will help lighten the load for many families.
"Our children and families really go to therapy appointments, and all the things that they have to navigate a very difficult system, and sometimes that's out of the range or they just don't have the finances to make it happen," Pino said. "Being able to give them an experience that they haven't experienced before, it really does lighten and life them up."
"We're at a Rockies game!" exclaimed 12-year-old Liyah.
Liyah got some of the tickets and went to the game with her great aunt, Deserie Abad, who is also Liyah's guardian.
"I haven't been here since the stadium opened, so this is my second game," Abad told CBS News Colorado.
Abad has cared for Liyah since she was a toddler. She also fostered two young brothers who eventually went back to their biological families, but she still keeps in touch with. All four of them went to the ball game.
"I didn't have kids of my own, but these kids have brought a lot of rewarding, happiness to me," she explained.
Raise the Future has been providing family support services to Abad and her grand-niece, helping them navigate some of the trauma Liyah experienced when she was younger.
"I like the program because I can tell that they just don't give up, so it's a big incentive for the caretakers not to give up," Abad said.
Abad is not giving up, but getting to spend a nice afternoon at the ball park could help her get back on a better footing with Liyah.
"I hope the families took away that they're part of this community and that they're connected and that they're belonging," Pino added.
A generous gift that really is giving so much more.
LINK: Wednesday's Child on CBS Colorado
For more information about how to help children living in foster care go to the Raise the Future website.
