Episode 96 : Kimberly Raff
09/07/21 • 35 min
On this week's episode of Fostering Change we have a great conversation with Kimberly Raff!
Kimberly Raff experienced the foster care system after falling through the cracks and experiencing a very difficult childhood. At the age of 17, she emancipated from the system after graduating high school. Alone, scared, and not knowing what to do, she went back to live with her biological mother and step-father, even though drugs and alcohol were still a part of their lives. Shortly after moving to Colorado with them, they left her and moved out of state. Again, she was alone, without family and without a support system.
It was while she was working one of her three jobs that one of her employers approached her about attending college. This changed the path that Kimberly could have gone down. The employer helped her apply, take the ACT, and enroll into Colorado Mesa University where Kimberly studied Computer Science, Accounting, and ultimately ended up getting her degree in Psychology Counseling after 12 years.
During those 12 years Kimberly failed out of school, enlisted in the military, was medically discharged, and was again, left without any support.
Through her struggles and triumphs she found who she was meant to become. Her career in child welfare brought memories back of her childhood, especially seeing older youth aging out of care with little to no supports of family or friends.
In 2017, Kimberly founded Foster Alumni Mentors, a non-profit organization that provides support and guidance to those who experienced foster care, to build a community of support around them.
http://www.kimberlyraff.com/
https://fosteralumnimentors.org
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this week's episode of Fostering Change we have a great conversation with Kimberly Raff!
Kimberly Raff experienced the foster care system after falling through the cracks and experiencing a very difficult childhood. At the age of 17, she emancipated from the system after graduating high school. Alone, scared, and not knowing what to do, she went back to live with her biological mother and step-father, even though drugs and alcohol were still a part of their lives. Shortly after moving to Colorado with them, they left her and moved out of state. Again, she was alone, without family and without a support system.
It was while she was working one of her three jobs that one of her employers approached her about attending college. This changed the path that Kimberly could have gone down. The employer helped her apply, take the ACT, and enroll into Colorado Mesa University where Kimberly studied Computer Science, Accounting, and ultimately ended up getting her degree in Psychology Counseling after 12 years.
During those 12 years Kimberly failed out of school, enlisted in the military, was medically discharged, and was again, left without any support.
Through her struggles and triumphs she found who she was meant to become. Her career in child welfare brought memories back of her childhood, especially seeing older youth aging out of care with little to no supports of family or friends.
In 2017, Kimberly founded Foster Alumni Mentors, a non-profit organization that provides support and guidance to those who experienced foster care, to build a community of support around them.
http://www.kimberlyraff.com/
https://fosteralumnimentors.org
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Previous Episode
Episode 95 : Dr. John DeGarmo
On this episode of Fostering Change we talk with Dr. John DeGarmo.
Born in 1969, leading international foster care expert, consultant, and TED Talk speaker Dr. John DeGarmo has worn many hats throughout his life. Singing and dancing while touring around the world in the international super group, Up With People, serving as a D.J. at four different radio stations on two different continents, working in the professional wrestling industry, teaching English and Drama at the high school and college level, director of The Foster Care Institute, and founder and national development director of Never Too Late, a residential group home for boys in foster care. Dr. DeGarmo has had a variety of experiences.
He is the author of several foster care books, including the new book The Little Book of Foster Care Wisdom: 365 Days of Inspiration and Encouragement for Foster Care Families, the best selling book Faith and Foster Care, as well as the foster care children's book A Different Home: A New Foster Child's Story. He is the director of The Foster Care Institute, and acts as a consultant to foster care agencies as well as an expert witness to legal agencies across the USA and globe. Dr. John is a High Content Speaker and informative trainer on the foster care system, and travels extensively across the globe, meeting with foster parents, child welfare workers, churches, schools, and organizations. Dr. John has appeared on several TV programs, including CNN, Good Morning America, and ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, PBS stations. Dr.John and his family have even appeared on the popular show Wife Swap. He writes regularly for many magazines, and is a regular contributor to several publications, both in the United States and over seas.
Dr. DeGarmo is married to Dr. Kelly DeGarmo, who hails from Australia, and the two of them have six children, both biological and adoptive. Dr. DeGarmo and his wife are also currently foster parents to three siblings, bringing their household to nine children. Dr. DeGarmo has been a foster parent to over 60 children over the years.
Dr. DeGarmo and his wife are the recipients of the Good Morning America Ultimate Hero Award, and the Up With People Every Day Hero Award. The two also were honored with their city's Citizens of the Year Award. Dr. DeGarmo has also been honored with a Hero of the Homeless award, the Olivet College Distinguished Alumni Award, as well as an Exceptional People recipient.
Dr. John DeGarmo
The Foster Care Institute
Watch my TEDx Talk on Foster Care : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JQYUp6sEbY
TEDx Talk and Transformative Speaker. International Expert in Foster Care and Parenting.
Visit The Foster Care Institute : http://drjohndegarmofostercare.weebly.com/index.html
Like Dr. DeGarmo on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DrJohnDeGarmo
Find Dr. John on Twitter @drjohndegarmo
Phone: 706 318 9225
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Next Episode
Episode 97 : Angela Quijada-Banks
On this episode of Fostering Change we sit down with Ángela Quijada-Banks!
Ángela Quijada-Banks is a NAACP Image Award Nominated, American author of the best-selling book, The Black Foster Youth Handbook , Founder and C.E.O of Soulful Liberation ( a Book publishing company and podcast; where she aims to empower foster youth by day and break generational curses by night). She is the Founder and program director at Consciously Melanated Queens ( a community to support the holistic wellbeing of young women of color and providing guidance to uncover their divine purpose.) As a transformational speaker and artist, she has impacted thousands with her message to transmute your pain to purpose and power. As of 2021, Ángela is a scholar at Legacy Holistic Health Institute studying Holistic Health and plant medicine coaching. Through her everyday work with helping young people uncover their divine purpose, performing spoken word events, workshops, Board member at the FCN foundation and political advisory to legislators across the nation, she aims to aid in revolutionary change in holistic health, economic injustices, child-welfare disparities, cultural competency and identity within low-wealth communities of color both on a micro and macro level.
In her most recent best-selling book, The Black Foster Youth Handbook she sheds light on a taboo topic through her own personal experience highlighting 50+ lessons she learned in order to support young people's journey and equip them with necessary tools to successfully age-out of foster care and holistically heal.
Born in Anaheim, CA her reach has spanned across the nation and in several countries. Since the age of three years old, when she was first introduced to swing dancing she has always come back to it even in the most unstable of circumstances.To this day, Ángela is still open to learning new things that excites her including Kung Fu and drumming. Between her day to day adventures, Ángela enjoys traveling the world and adrenaline rushes at amusement parks with her husband, Michael. She is lovingly called a “graceful powerhouse” by all who know her, as she lives by the quote, “ If not me, then who? If not now, then when?”
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OriginalSoulFlower
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/originalsoulflower/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mrs_AngelaBanks
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelaquijada-banks/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTa_p8Ez0Z1xbZ2wpd4sUCg
Portfolio: www.originalsoulflower.com
Divine Purpose coaching: www.consciouslymelanatedqueens.com
Book: The Black Foster Youth Handbook , 50+ Lessons I learned to successfully age-out of foster care and holistically heal www.blackfostercareyouthhandbook.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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