Reminding Foster Youth: #YouAreLoved
The Youth Advisory Board of Hamilton County brought foster youth together Sunday to show them just how loved they are. This was no ordinary meeting – the youth got to enjoy a meal together, hear uplifting speakers, listen to inspiring music and explore the five love languages through a series of booths.
One of our youth getting his feet done at the reflexologist booth!
YAB is a group designed to engage youth who age out of the foster system in helping improve the system for teens coming behind them.
The booths were set up for the youth to experience all the ways that they can love the people who support them. The first booth was physical touch, where they had a reflexologist and felt scarfs that the youth could customize. Booth two represented words of affirmation, where they wrote love notes to give to their friends and family. Gifts were at booth three, where they made bracelets and picture frames to give to their loved ones. The fourth booth was acts of service, where the youth wrote short notes on paper bags to teens experiencing homelessness, filled the bags with toiletries that were then donated to a local organization. Lastly, the youth went to a photo booth where they could spend quality time with their friends.
Thoughtful decorations filled the event space at People’s Church and made everyone feel special. There were hearts and Valentine’s Day-inspired decorations everywhere, thanks to the hard work of Table for 1, Balloons & Beyond, Cincinnati Police and many other volunteers. All of the working parts that came together to show these foster youth love made an electric energy in the room.
The #YouAreLoved event was meant to show the youth that they are loved beyond recognition, and that successful relationships begin with loving yourself first.
Thank you to the Youth Advisory Board of Hamilton County and all of our community partners for making our foster youth feel special. The dedication of these individuals exemplify what love is all about. #FosterLove
