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On today’s episode, I’m chatting with my friend, Hallie Graves. Hallie has had a passion for foster care since she was young and I loved getting to chat with her about when that passion was first ignited and where is has led her to today. In our conversation, Hallie shares about what the catalyst was for her to consider fostering as a single woman, trusting that she can’t mess up the plans that God has for her life, and how people reacted to her decision to become a foster parent. We also talk about how Hallie holds the tension so well between wanting what’s best for her kids even when it costs her heart dearly and what it’s like to give your heart over to a child knowing that you will have to eventually say goodbye. Hallie shares her insights on navigating self-care as a single mom and what it was like to put herself in a position where she needed help from those around her. Hallie is such an incredible mom who has so much knowledge on the foster care system and what it looks like to advocate for your children with an open hand.
Hallie Graves is a 30-something from the great Austin, Texas. Not a fan of the linear life, Hallie’s a speaker and writer, a lawyer with a boutique law firm, a foster care activist, and a #singlefostermom with infant and toddlers, and is overly interested in just about everything. Hallie is passionate about encouraging people to live fully in light of the grace and freedom of Jesus and to use every ounce of all they’ve been given in this life. She loves the Austin library, Broadway shows, queso, yoga, words, traveling, and her people. Hallie’s involved in the Austin Stone Community Church, Foster Village, and The Archibald Project, and has degrees in voice, physics, and law.
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Are you passionate about social issues relating to foster care and shifting the troubling odds stacked against these vulnerable children and families? Do you wonder how your unique gifts and abilities can make a difference in the lives of the nearly half a million children in the U.S. foster care system? If so, Foster Village is the place for you!
The mission of Foster Village is to create a village of support for children in the foster care system and those caring for them. This 501c3 non-profit organization rallies the community to equip caregivers with critical necessities, connects caregivers with the support they need to continue caring for children in crisis, and advocates for informed community awareness and engagement beyond the system. Services are available directly to licensed foster families, kinship caregivers, and reunifying families.
Foster Village was founded by experienced foster parents and child welfare experts and provides a bridge between a caring community and their neighbors in greatest need. Their multi-use resource center just outside of Austin is the first of it’s kind in Central Texas and also serves as a haven for children who might otherwise spend days in a CPS office while waiting for a home. With five affiliate locations nationwide, Foster Village hopes to see every community have a similar haven and community connection.
For more information on how to join the village, please visit www.fostervillageaustin.org or www.fostervillage.info.
Speak Life with Taylor Nichols is a podcast committed to keeping it REAL and RAW — real people, real stories, and real life. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a conversation! {You can listen to the show right HERE and to make sure you never miss an episode just hop on to your favorite podcast app (ie. iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify) and subscribe today! I hope you will consider sharing the show with your friends and if you have a friend with a story you think we need to hear, please nominate them right HERE!}