Unbound is Six Months Old!
Six months ago, in May 2024, we launched The Unbound Collaborative. In this short time, with the support of many incredible volunteers and donors, we have been able to accomplish some amazing things for our community!
We have connected with foster and adoption agencies all over Central Ohio. We have listened to what their greatest needs are and worked hard to implement real solutions for the parents and families they serve. We have provided emergency supplies to families to be able to welcome placements into their homes, including cribs, diapers and more. We have coordinated meal trains and provided food for parents who needed a helping hand. We have delivered gift baskets, which include supportive books for both parents and children, snacks, gift cards and more, to parents with new placements. And, most importantly, we have worked hard to show foster and adoptive parents that an organization exists to meet their needs, and they are not alone in this important work. We believe that our first six months have been a success, and want to thank everyone who has supported us on this journey so far!
In the future, we are planning to launch a transportation initiative in Q1 2025, to help parents who need assistance with difficult transportation schedules for their foster children. Transportation issues have proven to be one of the biggest barriers to foster parenting in our area, and we are on a mission to change that. We believe that no child should have to change homes or be denied placement because of transportation difficulties. We are dedicated to finding the right individuals to volunteer for this program, and to connect them to the parents with the greatest need.
Additionally, we are getting close to launching several other initiatives: foster child mentorship program, free tutoring, and more.
Behind the scenes, the Board of Directors is committed to stewarding all of Unbound’s resources responsibly and with care. We are actively developing new strategies for fundraising and grant writing to fund our service efforts and support parents in the most efficient and effective ways. We will continue to carefully analyze which programs to launch when they will be properly funded and most helpful to the parents we serve. Also, we will continue our dedication to creative answers and outside-the-box solutions when addressing the needs of foster and adoptive parents.
Looking ahead, we are filled with hope and excitement for the future! There is so much to look forward to, and we believe we will be able to make a meaningful difference in Central Ohio in the next six months and beyond. Thank you for the support, donations, time and energy you have given to this important work. We look forward to continue sharing news of the ways we have been able to provide service and care to foster and adoptive parents for years to come!