March 7, 2012
By Kendal Kuehler|
Badger Hearts continues to reach out and help foster teens in the Amarillo area by providing household items upon graduation.
Badger Hearts is a non-profit organization that was established in 2004 with one mission: to help former foster children in Amarillo after they graduate from high school. In most foster homes, once the child graduates from high school, the kids are on their own. In order to help them, Badger Hearts has created the Hope Chest Project.
Throughout the year, Badger Hearts raises money so the organization can buy $500 to $600 worth of household items for the former foster children.
“Every year in May after they graduate, we host a banquet where we present a chest full of items for them,” said Bruce Moseley, an assistant professor of paralegal studies.
The members of Badger Hearts don’t want to give them only house essentials but also hope. By reaching out, the group desires to bring the former foster children hope and courage to make a good life for themselves.
“The most powerful thing is getting them on a college campus,” Moseley said.
With the statistics high on crime and pregnancy in foster children after they become adults, Moseley said he likes having the opportunity to get them on a college campus and for them to meet others.
“We really need people who can volunteer time for us,” said Alicia Kochenower, Badger Hearts president.
Badger Hearts has five to six active members in the group who are eager to have more volunteers who can help reach out and give the foster children encouragement. Spring is the busiest time of the year for them.
“It’s a really great opportunity for the volunteers as well, because they can put it on their applications,” Kochenower said.
She said it is valuable on applications and that Student Life provides a separate transcript for community activity that shows proof of students’ activity in the organization.
Another club that is reaching out this year to help Badger Hearts is the Piecemakers Quilt Club, which is making quilts for the Hope Chest Project.
Anyone interested in helping the Badger Hearts can visit a meeting at noon Mondays in the private dining room of the College Union Building.
Leave a Reply