Dreams that will Make a Better World
Sometimes we can look back and see there is purpose in the pain we’ve been through. Our family has been a part of helping so many foster children and orphans, and it changed us. After losing our first foster son to cancer, we have dreams of helping as many foster kids as possible. But in the past few years, this dream has changed and clarified with the twelve years of experience we have had working, adopting, volunteering, and fostering.
We have visited over nine Children’s Homes and Orphanages. The volunteer work we do is changing the lives of hundreds of kids. We started Real Food Recovery as a nonprofit organization after writing a cookbook with studies for health benefits we experience. After fostering about eight children, and watching each child improve behavior and health with the right food and conditions, we took it bigger. We began to work in homes with many children.
Getting the Hands Dirty
Some of the incredibly rewarding work we do for these kids:
- Build gardens with organic vegetables these kids have never seen grow
- Teach educational classes;
- how important it is to eat good fats
- the power of amino acids and proteins
- necessary gentle detox of eating fresh vegetables
- why we need minerals and colorful salts
- what hydration does for our body’s cells
- and much more
- Support local organic farmers and bring these nutrient-dense foods to the Children’s Homes
- Write the menu for the home cook and State requirements with oversight of a Registered Dietician
- Use my Functional Nutritional Therapy education to support common issues of these children;
- diabetes
- joint pain
- sleeplessness
- night terrors
- addictions
- depression
- compromised guts
- and much more
The Dreams Evolve
During our work over the past twelve years, I’ve been asked to help support many folks in Assisted Living Homes with their diet. My education teaches me how to eat foods and what food supplements can help improve and hopefully recover indications. Enjoying the success supporting these kids and some folks in the Assisted Living Homes, recognizing their desire for more social interaction, an evolved dream and business plan began.
We have been a part of helping children eat better and:
- get off medication for diabetes
- avoid or recover from the flu faster
- reduce or stop bad cramping
- improve grades
- support a doctor’s protocol more successfully
- improve behavior
- and much more
Building a Home to Close the Gap
With these years of learning from the systems we work with, we have bigger dreams than before. Since we have a construction company and practice more biodynamic building, we realize what a terrific opportunity we have. What we lack is the financial support, but God-willing, that will come.
We know that if we build a home for Seniors and also have foster kids and orphans, we can close a vast gap of loneliness. This plan can give sage to these kids who have been handed a harder life by allowing these elderly folks to mingle at meals, spend time tutoring, and just be friends.
It’s a huge dream, and it requires a lot of work, but we have already prepared for this. The only challenge we have is the financial aspect, which seems small after all we have already faced and overcome. As much as I want to be private about our company mission, I know we need to share it because our communities need to get involved.
There are 500,000 children today in foster/orphan homes. There are almost 50,000 children in the State of Florida and about 3,000 kids in my county system. These kids move from one home to another, back to relatives, and then back into foster care, which makes medical tracking harder.
A Better Plan
Every person on death row was in foster care. Over 70% of our prisons are filled with people who were in foster care, and more awful statistics. We need a different approach to make it better for these kids and, ultimately, our community and nation. And our experience, heart, education, and skills provide the perfect backdrop to fulfill these dreams!
We must start a program and housing that is:
- fun,
- environmentally clean,
- mentally stimulating,
- built beautifully for the imagination, and
- providing healthy food- while also supporting our local farmers and community.
If you or your company are looking for a place to donate, we’d love to be considered. All donations are tax-deductible, just leave a note with your address if you’d like a letter in the mail. No amount is too small or too big, there are big things to do.
Give a better chance to kids without parents and more youth interaction for our seniors here.
We post pictures on Instagram regularly of the companies, farmers, artisans, local businesses, and efforts with these kids. It is not allowed to show their faces to protect them, but we can show particular views. Take a peek at our cookbook or check out the video below for examples of our work.
As always, 100% of the monies donated from individuals, companies, and my book sales will go to these kids.
Thank you for being a part of our community efforts.
Mandy
- Easy Turkey Bacon and Egg Breakfast - May 7, 2023
- No Sunburn Watermelon Shake - June 11, 2022
- Foster Care is Not What You Think - January 9, 2021
