From the Publisher, Fostering Good Things – Eileen Majors
I recently discovered the Magnolia Network streaming on Discovery Plus. It features a really fun couple (Chip and Joanna) who renovate homes in Waco, Texas, among other things.
I caught a show the other day where they were doing something different. The couple had taken on the task of renovating a home for girls who have no place else to go. It was an emergency shelter housing 16 girls, ages 5 to 21, for up to 90 days at a time.
A caring director and her assistant, who had herself spent time as a girl living in the home, were offering a loving place to stay. They showed Joanna through the home as she asked many questions about the girls, what they like to do, and where they tend to gather. She explained that there were many who wanted to give to the project. (I was already sobbing.)
Large rooms were light on furnishings with walls closing in. Three bedrooms held all of the beds with meager linens provided. Their activity room had a television on the wall, a dark brown sofa and three desks on dark wood flooring.
Joanna wanted the girls to not only enjoy a wonderful retreat during in their crisis, but wanted them to be inspired by their surroundings. She drew up plans and they got to work, and work she did, including choosing items from many of the partners she uses in their on-camera renovations on the show, Fixer Upper.
The reveal is the fun part of the show. In this case she brought in the director and her assistant to see what they had created for the girls.
Walls were moved to create a beautiful space for the girls to be able to all dine together. A fourteen-foot table was custom built. Dark green weinscoat added a layer of texture and level of luxury to the room while very nice cabinetry carried beautiful vases of contrasting flower bouquets. On the wall, the beautifully painted message read, “Together Is A Beautiful Place To Be.”
The sparse brown activity room had been transformed to include a bright round table with durable salmon color chairs, a desk area and cozy corner knook with soft cushions in warm colors and a large shelf filled with inviting art supplies and other fun activities.
The living room’s dark brown sectional was replaced by beautiful leather couches in a pretty shade of rust. Wicker chairs and beautiful accents made the room perfect.
Bedrooms were transformed into layers of comfort on bright new matching beds. Each space included its own end table and small walls for privacy. Comfort was first on Joanna’s long list of ideas for the girls’, offering a safe and comfortable feeling to kids in crisis.
The love poured into this project is destined to change many lives.
Today there are thousands of kids waiting for a foster home. Do you have home that could provide love and acceptance for kids in crisis? Contact a local foster care agency.
