Stories - Upbring

Partnership Builds Foundation for Stability

Mustapha Feika is one of six Upbring BeREAL participants living in affordable housing provided through a partnership between Upbring and Foundation Communities.

Permanency is the gold standard of the foster care system. But what does it mean?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines permanency as a legal, permanent family arrangement.

But permanency is more than an arrangement approved and bound by a judge. It is a feeling, and to define a feeling, we need to consult people like Mustapha Feika.

Mustapha spent most of his childhood bouncing between foster homes and shelters. Now 19 years old, Mustapha is uniquely qualified to define permanency within the foster system’s confines.

“Permanency to me means I have a safe, secure place where I feel welcome, and I’m part of a community that supports me,” Mustapha said.

Mustapha is experiencing the permanency that eluded him during his childhood, thanks to a new, strategic partnership between Upbring and Foundation Communities. Read More

1

Girls Build Brighter Futures at New Life

Painted in beautiful script on a wall at Upbring New Life Children’s Center in Canyon Lake is a quote from the Walt Disney movie Mulan:

“The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.”

Casual observers might chalk it up to nothing more than motivational rhetoric. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find that those 14 words speak volumes about the life-changing work being done in this safe, nurturing home tucked away in the rolling Central Texas Hill Country. Read More

Katy Eagle Scouts Bless Krause with Service Projects

Katy Eagle Scout Chris Greene built two trash bin holders for the Upbring Krause Children’s Center courtyard and two water cooler stands for the recreation area.

Chris Greene is a high school junior with a servant’s heart and a writer’s command of the English language. Chris’ Eagle Scout community service project provided the perfect opportunity to put both of those qualities to work.

This spring, Chris built two water cooler stands and two decorative trash bin holders for the girls at Upbring Krause Children’s Center. In a letter soliciting donations for supplies, he chose the perfect words to convey the impact of his project on our Krause girls.

“The wood and nails will eventually rot and rust, but the impact you leave on these young ladies could last a lifetime,” Chris wrote. “Together, we can not only change the look of a courtyard but also change the way a young woman looks at life, knowing she is loved and cared for.” Read More

Katy Girl Scout Takes Novel Approach to Supporting Krause

Katy Girl Scout Olivia Predmore (left) delivers some of the 200 books she collected for her Silver Award project to Trinity Charter School Principal Sandy Flores.

Cynthia Predmore’s father always told her she was blessed with talent, and it was her responsibility to share that talent with the world. Cynthia passed her father’s advice to her daughter, Olivia, who recently channeled it toward blessing the young women who call Upbring Krause Children’s Center home.

Olivia’s been to Krause several times with Cynthia, who served as a parent advocate for a young woman attending our onsite Trinity Charter School (TCS). When Olivia, who is a Katy Girl Scout, needed to complete a community service project as part of her Girl Scout Silver Award application, TCS was a natural choice. Read More

Lubbock City Council Recognizes Upbring

Lubbock City Council and Upbring

The Lubbock City Council and Upbring recently convened to recognize our Foster In Texas (FIT) program with a special proclamation during National Child Abuse Prevention Month. (L-R) Kurt Senske, Upbring CEO; Sheila Patterson Harris, Lubbock City Council member; L. Wood Franklin, Upbring board member; Monica Casey, FIT area director; Lacy Carr, Upbring BeREAL program director; Joy Loper, Upbring Neighborhood House and Health for Friends Clinic director; Donna Perry, Upbring FIT staff member; Mary Lee Franklin, longtime Upbring volunteer.

***

Katalia’s Story

Katalia, whose name means “orchid,” is as unique and extraordinary as the flower she’s named after. Just 16 years old, Katalia is indeed blooming at New Life Children’s Center as a role model and peer leader for other young women in the program. She shares, “Being part of the ‘I Am Strong’ program makes me feel good because I know people are counting on me, and it makes me feel like I’ve grown up.”

Although Katalia admits to liking music and books, her eyes light up when she talks about her family, helping others and working with children. Although she experienced far too much tragedy and many difficult challenges in her childhood, Katalia is determined to become a registered nurse so she can be the kind of adult who helps others in their hardest moments. Read More

Upbring Hires First Principal of New Private School

Andre Berry brings 16 years’ experience as a teacher and administrator.

Upbring recently welcomed Andre Berry as principal of Upbring School of Arts and Sciences – Central Austin Campus. Mr. Berry brings 16 years’ experience in teaching, designing cutting-edge curricula, developing educators, and leading college – and career-ready campuses.

Dr. Andrew Benscoter, vice president of education and innovation at Upbring, said the nonprofit agency’s commitment to delivering an innovative, individualized learning experience for each child makes Berry the perfect leader of the new private school, which will start serving preschool students during the fall 2017 semester. Read More

2

Upbring International Adoption Earns Hague Reaccreditation

If your family moved when you were a child, you probably remember the anxiousness associated with changing schools and meeting new friends. Imagine tackling all of that while also learning a new language and culture.

That is the reality for children served by Upbring International Adoption. We work hard to smooth the transition for these brave children and their forever, loving families. In fact, we recently earned
Hague reaccreditation through the Council on Accreditation (COA).

Alert: Test Alert

Stories - Upbring