Fostering Change

If you’ve watched or listened to Fostering Change before, or you’ve seen Rob Scheer speak at an event or a Comfort Cases “Packing Party”, you know that he loves to promote people who are doing great things for others - what he calls “Good Humans.” Well, on today’s episode you’ll meet one of the “goodest of them all,” Marcy Bursac.

Scaling her lived experience as an adoptive mom of a sibling pair, Marcy advocates for the more than 100,000 children in the U.S. foster care system that are waiting to be adopted through her free app, books, monthly podcast, speaking engagements, and TV, radio, magazine, and podcast appearances.

Marcy’s latest book, "What to Know When You Adopt Through Foster Care" is available now - and we highly recommend that if you’ve given any thought at all to adopting that you order this book today. This honest guide covers how to handle the ups and downs, behaviors, and realities involved in raising children adopted through the foster care system who may have experienced neglect, abuse, trauma and/or loss.

Inside you'll learn:

- what foster care adoption is and which children can be adopted

- why some families waited and how some pursued this path after facing infertility

- how some had to be persistent and how they endured the process

- tips for parenting children who have experienced neglect, trauma, alcohol exposure

- tips for parenting children who have mental health or medical needs

and more!

Marcy is a recipient of the Angels in Adoption® Award from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute from Missouri with Senator Blunt. She was crowned United States of America’s Mrs. Ohio 2022. She founded the organization The Forgotten Adoption Option. She is the creator of the Foster Care Adoption Awareness Reading Program. Most recently, Marcy was interviewed and announced the winner of the Pilot Pen G2 Overachievers Grant on The Kelly Clarkson Show on October 26th, 2023.

To learn more about Marcy, please visit her website: https://forgottenadoptionoption.com/

You can also follow Marcy on social media:

Instagram: @marcybursac

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ForgottenAdoptionOption 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcybursac/ 

To listen to previous episodes of Fostering Change, please visit: www.comfortcases.org/podcast or your favorite podcast outlets.

If you have any comments, questions, or guest suggestions, we’d love to hear from you!  Please write us at [email protected].

Thank you for listening and we’ll see you next Tuesday!

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

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Prepare yourself for an interview with a woman who defines the term “resilience.”  Regina Calcaterra’s memoir Etched in Sand, A True Story of Five Siblings Who Survived an Unspeakable Childhood on Long Island is a #1 international best-seller and a New York Times best-seller.  As a result of Etched in Sand’s messages of resilience, optimism, the plight of foster children, that no child is a lost cause and how we can all positively impact the life of a child in need, it has been integrated into college and high school curricula throughout the U.S. and been selected for community reads. 

She is also co-author of Etched in Sand’s sequel which she wrote with her younger sister Rosie Maloney, Girl Unbroken, A Sister’s Harrowing Journey from the Streets of Long Island to the Farms of Idaho. Girl Unbroken has also been integrated into college curricula alongside Etched in Sand. Regina speaks nationally about her books’ messages and how we can all impact the life of a child in need. 

To learn more about Regina, please visit: https://reginacalcaterra.com/

We encourage you to follow Regina’s journey on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Calcaterra.Regina/ 

Instagram: @regina_calcaterra 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/regina-calcaterra-1a9608285/

To listen to previous episodes of Fostering Change, please visit: www.comfortcases.org/podcast or your favorite podcast outlets.

If you have any comments, questions, or guest suggestions, we’d love to hear from you!  Please write us at [email protected].

Thank you for listening and we’ll see you next Tuesday!

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Understand there is more of a reality out there than you’ve been living through.”

Today’s episode of Fostering Change will truly inspire you!  Rob Scheer interviews Lisa Cohen, someone he shares much in common.  They were both in foster care, both from Washington, DC and following foster care, both joined the Navy.  They also both have “bucked the trend” and have been successful in business and in life.  They share how they moved forward in their careers, they didn’t talk about their experiences in foster care, as they didn’t want it to be used against them.

Lisa has also loved sports her entire life and was a “Muhammad Ali addict”, and became a championship boxer!  She writes about these experiences in her memoir, “Being Too Fierce”.

Lisa holds the esteemed position of President of the Rotary Club of Washington DC. Under her leadership, she has spearheaded an initiative called "Rotary's Championship Fight for Youth," which aims to provide essential services to foster youth in the Washington DC metropolitan area. She also works as a Behavioral Clinician for Sasha Bruce Youthwork, an organization that is the leading provider of homeless youth services in the DC Region and have opened their first Foster House.

This episode will truly inspire you! 

To get in touch with Lisa and/or order a signed copy of “Being Too Fierce,” please email directly at: [email protected].

To learn more about Sasha Bruce Youthwork, please visit: https://www.sashabruce.org/

To listen to previous episodes of Fostering Change, please visit: www.comfortcases.org/podcast or your favorite podcast outlets.

If you have any comments, questions, or guest suggestions, we’d love to hear from you!  Please write us at [email protected].

Thank you for listening and we’ll see you next Tuesday!

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Corporate Responsibility. You hear that phrase often. But how many businesses truly follow through on being good corporate citizens? On today’s episode of Fostering Change you will meet one organization that does just that: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s Indiana Medicaid Health Plan. In fact, this organization was Comfort Cases’ very first corporate sponsor - we are celebrating working with them for six years!

You will hear Rob Scheer speak with April Lam, Chief of Staff for the health plan. April has a strong connection to Comfort Cases’ mission, as she not only works closely with non-profit organizations, but has also been a foster parent and adopted a child out of foster care.

Since the partnership with Comfort Cases began 6 years ago, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has packed more than 7,000 Comfort Cases® to support youth living in foster care.

The partnership between Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Comfort Cases has grown since 2018. Since the expansion, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s affiliated health plans have hosted 24 packing parties across 16 states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico, providing over 12,000 Comfort Cases and XL duffel bags to youth in foster care nationwide.

To learn more about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Indiana, please visit: https://mss.anthem.com/in/indiana-hom...

To listen to previous episodes of Fostering Change, please visit: www.comfortcases.org/podcast or your favorite podcast outlets.

If you have any comments, questions, or guest suggestions, we’d love to hear from you! Please write us at [email protected].

Thank you for listening and we’ll see you next Tuesday!

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We hope you are ready for an especially inspiring episode of Fostering Change. Today, Rob Scheer interviews Peter Mutabazi: entrepreneur, international advocate for children, and the founder of Now I Am Known, a nonprofit that supplies resources that encourage and affirm children and families. A single adoptive father of three and foster dad to many (34 as of this date!), Mutabazi is a former street kid originally from Uganda who has worked for World Vision, Compassion International, and the Red Cross, and has appeared on media outlets such as the BBC and The TODAY Show.

Rob and Peter discuss his book, Now I Am Known: How a Street Kid Turned Foster Dad Found Acceptance and True Worth, how Peter’s organization is helping countless youth in foster care, and what it takes to be a single parent / foster parent.

To learn more about Peter and Now I Am Known, please visit:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fosterdadflipper

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fosterdadflipper/

Website: https://www.nowiamknownfoundation.org/

To listen to previous episodes of Fostering Change, please visit: www.comfortcases.org/podcast or your favorite podcast outlets.

If you have any comments, questions, or guest suggestions, we’d love to hear from you!  Please write us at [email protected].

Thank you for listening and we’ll see you next Tuesday!

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a discussion that covers everything from medicare filings to the resources necessary for caregivers of all kind to thrive, today Rob Scheer speaks with Mike and Kristin Berry, the co-founders of The Resilient Caregiver, a global initiative that helps foster and adoptive caregivers build resiliency through understanding, education, and support.

There are so many hoops one must jump through when becoming a foster parent or adopting, many just don’t know where to start. Kristin and Mike, have been there and done that, and through their recently rebranded organization, The Resilient Caregiver, they provide many of the resources that will make this journey at least a little bit more sensicle. 

You can find out more about the resources they provide, including workshops and their very own podcast by visiting: www.resilientcaregiver.org

University VIP Link: www.resilientcaregiver.org/universityvip

You can also follow The Resilient Caregiver on social media, here:

Facebook: www.facebook/resilientcaregiver

Instagram: @resilientcaregiver 

To find out more about Comfort Cases, please visit our website: www.comfortcases.org.

You can also follow us on our social media channels:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/comfortcases

Instagram: @comfortcases

Twitter: @comfortcases

TikTok: @comfort_cases    

To listen to previous episodes of Fostering Change, please visit: www.comfortcases.org/podcast or your favorite podcast outlets.

If you have any comments, questions, or guest suggestions, we’d love to hear from you! Please write us at [email protected].

Thank you for listening and we’ll see you next Tuesday!

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Rob Scheer talks with a real “go-getter”. Someone who doesn’t take no for an answer and truly reaches for the stars. Haley Marguerite is a motivational speaker, a publisher and an author. In fact, she published her first book at the age of 11!

Haley is the talented author behind the beloved Charlie Takes an Adventure book series. Through her captivating stories, children learn important life lessons while joining Charlie, the adventurous penguin, on his incredible journeys and heartwarming experiences with his loving family. 

Haley’s passion for empowering kids to believe in themselves and chase their dreams shines through in her writing.

She says: “From elementary school through high school, I encountered the harsh winds of bullying – targeted for my appearance, round glasses, and the struggle to comprehend words until the 10th grade. Yet, I've emerged not broken, but resilient, a testament to the power of inner strength.”

You can often find Haley speaking to school and community groups about overcoming bullying, and building up self-esteem. Today, we are lucky to have her as a guest on Fostering Change. 

The latest book in the series is titled: “Charlie Takes an Adventure to the Moon”, where Charlie faces bullying and tries to learn how to deal with and overcome it. More about Haley and the “Charlie Takes an Adventure” book series can be found here:

Website about the book: https://www.charlietakesanadventure.com/

Website about Haley and her publishing programs: www.haleymarguerite.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haleymargueritepersonal/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/HaleyPublishing

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Charliepenguin2

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officalhaleymarguerite/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@haleymarguerite

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleymarguerite/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-8g8ADbMc-vzV-3nTMRO3A

For more information about Comfort Cases, or to listen to previous episodes of Fostering Change, please visit:

Website: https://comfortcases.org/

Podcast Archive: https://comfortcases.org/podcasts/

If you have any questions or comments about this episode, please write to us! [email protected].

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comfort Cases is thrilled to be working with the team from Amerigroup Georgia Families 360 on a powerful new initiative. Launched at the start of National Adoption Awareness Month, Comfort Cases and Amerigroup Georgia Families 360 are committing to get a Comfort Case(™) to every youth in foster care in the state of Georgia, finally ending the practice of black trash bags being given to youth who are entering or transitioning into foster care.

This first-of-its-kind initiative, https://comfortcases.org/press/amerigroup-georgia-leads-the-nation-in-providing-comfort-cases-to-every-child-in-georgia-foster-care/, showcases the power of collective action and sets an inspiring precedent for other states to follow. To learn more about this exciting and ground breaking program, and how you may be able to help, please click on https://comfortcases.org/amerigroupgatakeover/, or visit our website.

On today’s episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer speaks with Eshontee Rowe, a member of the Amerigroup Youth Advisory Board. This dynamic young woman sets the standard for what being a “Good Human” is all about.

Eshontee not only amplifies the voices of young people who have faced adversity but also actively engages in crafting solutions to enhance the lives of those presently affected by the system. Yet, her dedication extends beyond these roles. Eshontee also serves as a member of Foster Youth In Action's People Agenda Team, an international network of independent foster youth-led groups across the U.S. and Canada, where she diligently works to bring about positive change within the foster care community.

Rob and Eshontee’s conversation will truly motivate you to go out and get things done. We encourage you to share today’s podcast with your children and young colleagues. It’s people like Eshontee will truly change the world.

To learn more about Amerigroup, please visit https://www.myamerigroup.com/ga/georgia-home.html

To follow Eshontee’s journey on LinkedIn, please https://www.linkedin.com/in/eshontee-rowe

To learn more about Rob Scheer and Comfort Cases, and the Georgia Takeover Program, please visit us at: https://comfortcases.org/

If you have questions or comments about today’s episode, the foster care system, or how you might volunteer or donate to help youth in foster care, please write to us here: [email protected]

You can find previous episodes of Fostering Change at https://comfortcases.org/podcasts/

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You may know the name Zion Clark, whose catchphrase is:

“You Don't Need Legs To Leave A Footprint On Earth”

Did you watch his documentary on Netflix? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRvGlB1-Ku8

Maybe you saw him on America’s Got Talent? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRA3t_9hX50

Or, you read his book, “Work With What You Got: A Memoir”, https://www.amazon.com/Work-What-You-Got-Memoir/dp/1536224219

Today, Rob Scheer speaks with this amazing All-American wrestler, MMA fighter, Guinness World Record holder, and an internationally acclaimed speaker who infuses humor, wit, powerful life lessons, and infectious energy into each and every presentation that he gives—allowing him to connect with audiences on a level that is undeniably unparalleled.

​

Perhaps most importantly, he is singularly—and uniquely—ZION.

Standing at just over three feet tall and weighing 110 pounds, he competes against "able-bodied" athletes and has his eyes set on competing in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2024.

​

Born into the foster care system with a rare birth defect called Caudal Regression Syndrome that left him without legs, Zion has faced countless struggles that he has not only had to overcome to survive, but that he has learned to leverage in order to thrive at the highest levels against all odds.

​

His overriding winning-mentality has made him an inspiration to millions of people around the world, and he is just getting started.

​

Zion boasts over one million Instagram followers, two million followers on TikTok, and has amassed over 40 million YouTube views of his Guinness World Record achievement.

These are the 3 things Zion leveraged in order to create the life he has for himself. It’s through these you’ll be able to gain:

✅ A new perspective on life

✅ Confidence knowing you can accomplish what you set your mind to

✅ Freedom to live without limitations… with no excuses

You can learn more about Zion on his social media channels:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bigznoexcuses

Instagram: @bigz97

Twitter: @bigz97

TikTok: @bigznoexcuses

For more information about Comfort Cases, or to listen to previous episodes of Fostering Change, please visit:

Website: https://comfortcases.org/

Podcast Archive: https://comfortcases.org/podcasts/

If you have any questions or comments about this episode, Comfort Cases, or if you have a suggestion for a guest for an upcoming episode, please write to us! [email protected].

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Social justice advocate Di Ciruolo is on a mission to shed light on these systematic injustices in the foster care system and provides a step-by-step approach to personal recovery and guidance for survivors and those who seek to support them in her new book, “Indomitable”,  a true story of how she survived foster care.

In today’s episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer and Di Ciruolo work together to highlight the flaws in the foster care system, and what can be done to FINALLY correct them, and help our most vulnerable youth.

Indomitable is a true story of foster care survival. With intentional wit and a healthy amount of self-reflection, Di Ciruolo invites explorers to find the places they can relate to while finding footing on the rungs to healing. Ciruolo shines a light on inner trauma, by offering encouragement and guidance for survivors and those who seek to support them.

From childhood to motherhood, Di Ciruolo takes readers through very personal and intensely heartbreaking experiences and creates a safe space for trauma survivors with Indomitable.

Other issues addressed in today’s powerful episode:

• The fake narratives surrounding foster care and the changes we can make as a community and society
• Trauma: how common it is to the human experience, and the outcomes of those foundational experiences in people's lives.
• Abuse: how abusers create a dual consciousness within their victims that leaves victims feeling responsible for their own abuse, and the shame they carry into adulthood as a result along with the very common outcomes we see from that.

Di is a “force of nature”. Here’s how you can learn more about her and “Indomitable”: 

Website: www.diciruolo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DiCiruolo

Twitter:https://twitter.com/diciruolo

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/diciruolo/

Tags: #indomitablexdi #becomingindomitable 

For more information about Comfort Cases, or to listen to previous episodes of Fostering Change, please visit:

Website: https://comfortcases.org/

Podcast Archive: https://comfortcases.org/podcasts/

If you have any questions or comments about this episode, Comfort Cases, or if you have a suggestion for a guest for an upcoming episode, please write to us!  [email protected].

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.