By Porsche Seals, Executive Director, Caring for Kids Network
Generally when I share in this space, I focus heavily on the wonderful numerical outcomes of our organization. However, this time, my heart is far too burdened with the impact trauma and tragedy are having on our young people. Don’t get me wrong, we are always pained with the depth of challenges children experience on a regular basis, but can I be transparent for a moment?
So many chaotic events are taking place in our world right now and many are right here at home. Our babies are struggling with so many things: school shootings, world tragedies, depression, social media, homelessness, fatherlessness, motherlessness, inequity, displacement, suicide, being bullied, drained, process an ongoing pandemic, and possible forms of abuse. So much despair. How do you have hope in the midst of it all?
According to Dr. Chan Hellman in his book, Hope Rising, How the Science of Hope can Change Your Life, the opposite of hope is not hopelessness, but apathy. Apathy is described by the Webster Dictionary as lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern. Our young friends are experiencing lack, in a society of plenty. What do you propose WE do about this? Well, I am glad that organizations like ours exist to provide hope in apathetic spaces.
While no one organization has perfected the best way to distribute hope, here at CFKN, our partners are doing their very best to make our communities a better place. They are reading to one more child, serving in one more classroom, and high-fiving one more friend as he/she gets on and off the bus for school. They are encouraging teachers with messages of love and helping principals reach goals for success. That is a dream realized for a more hope-filled tomorrow.
Through the power of relationship, community, and collaboration, our children and their families have an opportunity to feel love, experience love, and be loved. Keep going everyone. Even when the work gets hard, remember your little neighbors are counting on you. Down with apathy, up with hope!
To help us continue our work, I would like to invite you to consider supporting the vision and mission of Caring for Kids Network. With your generosity, we can continue to engage new schools in healthy, hope-filled school partnerships.