Hi Friend.

Throughout my extensive career in the social services field of over 25 plus years, combined as a Child Protective Specialist (CPS), a Juvenile Justice Specialist (JJS III), Volunteer as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) I have seen, learned, heard so many things about what many of these youths with their families, their environments, in which our youth who age out of foster care or has been in the juvenile justice systems experiences.

The youth who has no where to go after he/she ages out of foster care so he/she ends up committing a crime to receive his/her 3 square meals in county, or ends up homeless, prostituting to survive, or overdosing because he/she does not have a supportive family or anyone who can guide him/her. I'm asking for them, and so many other tragic stories like those, in which I can not disclose because of confidentiality.

The end results is almost always disheartening. From not having a safe, positive, productive, or supportive environment or people to surround these youth with solid resources they fall through the cracks of our society, and end up on the wrong side because of the lack of support, guidance, safe environment etc.

All the skills, all the knowledge I’ve obtained throughout my career, my life experiences, and academia has empowered me to take this big leap of faith in supporting our youth in developing this nonprofit. It is my duty to act, and help provide the opportunities, and advocate for these youth who are in need in having a better life than what they were dealt growing up.I finally came to the conclusion that I had to help make a change, provide hope, guidance, and assistance for a population that is often overrepresented.

I decided to start this nonprofit just last year June 2021 “It Takes a Village Oklahoma Youth Organization Foundation”. This organization will house 10 or more youths aged out of the foster care system, and youth who has gone through the juvenile justice systems in need of a fresh start. We will provide mental health services, counseling, education assistance, medical assistance, food, clothing, mentorship, extracurricular activities, educational trips, religious/spiritual services if desired, and more.

However, I can not do it alone. It Takes a Village Oklahoma Youth, truly takes a village to accomplish all of the above, so if this is a population/cause that you care about kindly donate to the organization. 100% of the donations will go towards the funding, and start up to this nonprofit. It will go towards funding towards housing costs, food, and all of the services listed above plus much more for the youths that will be housed. The biggest goal for these youths is to set them up for future success, so that they can live as modeled, happy positive contributors to society. They will be more equipped, and ready to reside on their own, obtain a good stable job, educated, and have a good sense of community & support.

*If you can just close your eyes and think of that positive mentor or person who guided you somehow through your youth to adulthood, most of us had that growing up. Many of these youths do not have that, and so I am asking for you to make a monetary contribution to help ITAV bridge that gap so that they may receive the opportunities, supportive services, stable environment that can help place them on the side of success.*

Thank you in advanced for caring for tomorrow’s successful young adults.

Kerlyne Deriscar-Hinds ~Founder|President

Support It Takes a Village