Me: My name is Keely Maury. I teach the free community yoga class through Connections Individual and Family Services. Recently I was given the opportunity to be the guest speaker at the graduation ceremony for the 2022 high school graduates placed at the Connections shelter.
I spent some time with these kids and heard about their hopes and dreams for the future. I was placed into the foster care system at the age of 9. I know firsthand what these children are facing and the things they have to overcome on a daily basis. I know the brave faces they have to put on every morning and the prayers that someone will just come to make all their confusions and sadness go away and make everything the way it should be.
Connections: Connections is full of loving, devoted staff and these kids are in really great hands. 100% of their 2022 senior high school students graduated this year. All of them have amazing dreams for their futures and are kind, sweet kids who have been through more in their short lifetimes than anyone should ever have to go through.
In a town like New Braunfels, these kids should feel fully supported, but sadly the awareness just isn't always there.
DREAM FOR THE FUTURE:
When I was aging out of care, I wasn't in a place to envision a future for myself and I went on a long, scary journey in the wrong direction. During this time, it truly was the kindness of strangers that I met along the way, the ones who saw my potential, the ones who helped me and told me to simply pay it forward that allowed me to start believing in myself and eventually beat the odds and restore my trust in humanity. It's not a path I recommend to anyone and I am lucky to have lived through it. Now I do my best to make sure I pay it forward every chance I get.
I need support with this one though and I wholeheartedly believe if these kids felt the support from the New Braunfels community, things for them will continue to go in the right direction and their big dreams will quickly become a reality.
I chose the goal amount because it is the exact population of New Braunfels and if everyone donated just $1, we could give these kids every boost they need to set them up for success and really feel the love and support of their community. Of course not everyone in town will be able to donate or see the fundraiser, so please donate what you can. I'm hoping we can triple the goal and provide for everything this shelter could need for a long time to come. The initial goal amount will go towards any college related fees that need to come out of pocket, fees to take driving tests and get valid licenses, and providing humble but reliable vehicles for the graduates of 2022. One of the girls has dreams of opening a nail salon and would provide for any equipment she may need to get started.
Different things like this, distributed at the discretion of the staff of Connections IFS, will help ease them into adulthood smoothly while they remain in the Transitional Living Program. Any remaining funds would be distributed where needed at the shelters or saved for future graduates depending on necessity.
This is a fundraiser for real, living, amazing human children and they need to feel seen, loved, and supported in order to thrive. It's human design. Please help them continue to beat the odds.
With love,
Keely Maury
#NBDollarDare
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