For many people, exchanging gifts with family members is an important part of the holiday season.

That tradition is complicated for our Fellows, who lack the type of family structures and support systems so many of us take for granted.

This year, to help them celebrate the holiday season, we’ve asked our Fellows to prepare Amazon wish lists for themselves and their children. Click on a name* to see one of the lists and grant a holiday wish this season!

While you're shopping on Amazon, you can use AmazonSmile to support RJLF. Just go to AmazonSmile and search for RJLF.  Shipping Address will be "to the attention of Kathleen Kasper". 

Brittany
Brittany is an intelligent, determined, and hard-working mother. Her goal is to complete her college education and provide opportunities for her child. RJLF has provided educational scholarships which have allowed Brittany to take classes at her dream school, Villanova.

Joseph
Joseph is an amazing young man. He once believed he was not “school material.” Yet now, in addition to working a full time job, he is attending classes that he loves. He works closely with his RJLF Mentor, pursuing a degree in social work. He is determined to give back and help others.

Caroline
Caroline is a single mother, determined to make a better life for herself and her son. Her goal is to obtain a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She is currently working an office job while pursuing her studies at a community college, where she is only a few classes away from her associate’s degree. Caroline was the recent recipient of a car through our Working Wheels program.

Theresa
Theresa is an incredibly hard worker, constantly balancing an overflowing plate. She is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at West Chester University. In addition to her classes, she works three jobs and cares for her son as a single mother. Theresa has been approved for an RJLF Educational Scholarship for the upcoming spring semester, which will allow her to work fewer hours and attend school full time.

Emily
Emily is a single mother. Her early experiences in the foster care system and her experience with homelessness forever changed her and motivated her to create opportunities for herself. Hard-working and determined never to be homeless again, we are proud to say that Emily recently completed the nursing program at MCCC and started a new job working as an RN. This spring, she will be working full time while also taking online classes so that she can continue to work towards her Bachelor of Nursing.

Jason
Jason is a recent recipient of an RJLF Transportation Scholarship that helped him purchase a car. This vehicle will allow him to get to work and start attending classes in the spring. He is working closely with RJLF Mentors to determine a career path that will lead to an independence and self-sufficiency.

This year, we hope you will join us in helping our Fellows celebrate the holiday season.

Sincerely,

RJLF Team

* Names and identifying information have been changed to protect the confidentiality and safety of Fellows involved in the R.J. Leonard Foundation's programming.

Sameer Somal, an educator, speaker, and co-founder of thefirm Blue Ocean Global Technology, has been a member of the R.J. Leonard's Foundation Board since 2015. We recently sat down with him to learn more about his work and interests.

How did you get involved with RJLF?
Jo and I had collaborated in the past and I’ve always been passionate about helping empower young people with knowledge and perspective they can use to make the most informed decisions and to become better human beings, better leaders, and better professionals. Jo approached me and said she’d be delighted if I would consider joining the foundation’s board, suggesting that I would bring experience, energy, and a unique perspective.

What do you do as a board member?
As a board member, I’m responsible for policy and governance. I help make decisions concerning strategies for how we can be as impactful as possible. I also interact directly with several of the Fellows. I am passionate about sharing information. I have led several workshops on leadership and financial literacy.

What moment in your time with RJLF stands out as a reminder of the importance of what we do?
There was a young man named Chris. He was a Fellow with a brilliant mind and a passion for writing. I was asked to mentor him in financial literacy. We discovered that we had a lot in common and built a great friendship. Life is all about relationships, and this relationship, which I did not see coming, is one I value.

I’ve also, in conducting workshops, had the experience of having a Fellow or their Mentor come back to me and tell me it was really impactful, and that now approach situations differently, whether in communicating more effectively or having more financial confidence.

How do you think the foster care system in Pennsylvania could better assist young people as they turn 18 and transition out?
I think connecting both resources and the people most passionate about helping young people to the actual young people in need of help represents an opportunity for improvement. There should be a framework for these children, so that when they turn 18, there is a path for them to follow and achieve their dreams. That’s where RJLF has had success, and that’s where we hope over time to be a shining example of the right way to do things.

How can the foundation get better at what we do?
There is a huge opportunity to make an impact, or as Steve Jobs said, “make a small dent in the universe.” And I think we’ve done that with the opportunities we have created. But that’s just a small drop in the bucket. We can expand our reach. We can have more Mentors and more education sessions. We should partner with other organizations that are passionate about this cause.

I’d like to get a bit personal. What are some of your passions and hobbies?
I’m most passionate about learning. My mantra, which comes from Mark Twain, is that “a man or woman who doesn’t read good books has no advantage over the man or woman who can’t read.” So reading is something about which I feel particularly passionate. I’m also pretty active in terms of exercise. I recently ran a half marathon for women’s empowerment, the anti-rape marathon in Delhi, India. I’m also active with an organization called Girl Power Talk.

As an entrepreneur, I'm in the business of making friends and finding like-minded people that are purposeful. That’s something I spend a lot of time on. I’m also very passionate about the Philadelphia Eagles.

Since you manage online reputations, do you have any suggestions for our Fellows about mistakes to avoid?
Posting pictures and information and photos from a party on social media could come back to haunt you. If somebody’s an employer, and they’re thinking about hiring you, and they go online and see those photos on your Facebook or your Instagram, they’ll go “Wow, that’s not the type of person I want to spend more time with or give an opportunity.” Young people shouldn’t be doing anything that will inhibit them from becoming tomorrow’s leaders.

They should be mindful of their digital presence. It’s important to remember that anything that goes online can be seen by an employer in the future.

Learn how you can help Fellows with their immediate needs on a monthly basis through our Friends Launching Futures sustaining support fund.​

Contact: Caitlin Deppeler (RJLF), 1-833-4RJLFND
Contact: Jennifer Ashenfelter (Holiday House),
215-345-6960
 
(Doylestown, Pennsylvania)

In late October, a Halloween fundraising event at Holiday House Pet Resort & Training Center raised $1,000 for the R.J. Leonard Foundation.
 
Holiday House clients received an official photo of their dog in costume in return for a small donation, the proceeds of which went to the R.J. Leonard Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping young adults aging out of the foster care system through mentoring and scholarships.
 
Holiday House holds several similar events throughout the year, each time in support of a different charity.
 
Caitlin Deppeler, director of the R.J. Leonard Foundation, has been taking her dogs to Holiday House for many years. She was thrilled with the support her organization received. “They have become family as they care for our family, and I am so excited that they are taking interest in a mission I hold close to my heart,” she said.
 
Dr. Laura Weis, who with her husband Dr. Randy Weis owns Holiday House as well as the Doylestown Veterinarian Hospital, remarked, “Giving back to local organizations that support the people and pets in our community is very important to everyone at Holiday House Pet Resort & Training Center. Our clients love the special photos of their pets, so including them as part of a fundraising effort creates a fun and meaningful event. We are so grateful to our generous clients for their overwhelming support.”
 
About the R.J. Leonard Foundation
 
The R.J. Leonard Foundation is dedicated to helping young people who are aging out of the foster care system by providing them with personal mentoring and educational scholarships.
 
About Holiday House Pet Resort & Training Center
 
Holiday House Pet Resort & Training Center is owned by Drs. Laura and Randy Weis, DVM. Theirs is the only veterinarian owned pet resort in the Doylestown area. Learn more at holidayhousepetresort.com.

Five years ago, with her children getting ready to go off to college, Kathleen Kasper found herself with more time on her hands. She was ready for a change.

That’s when she met Jo Leonard and learned about the R.J. Leonard Foundation. “Jo shared stories about the Fellows RJLF was working with at the time and the need for support at this critical time in their lives as they aged out of the foster care system.”

The foundation’s mission resonated with Kathleen. “I knew from experience with my kids, mentoring and support was essential for them to pursue their education and careers.”

Kathleen began volunteering on a part-time basis. With her background in human resources and her previous experience volunteering for nonprofits, her contributions proved invaluable, and her role evolved.

Today, Kathleen serves as the Senior Director of the R.J. Leonard Foundation, working directly with both Mentors and Fellows, providing the support they need to reach their goals. That often means responding to a Fellow’s immediate needs, such as a car in need of repairs or a laptop needed for school. Kathleen also works to develop partnerships in the community and find donors for the annual fall fundraiser.

“There really is no typical day. I learned early on the need to wear many hats when working for a small nonprofit.”

In her five years with the Foundations, Kathleen has experienced a great many high points, moments that reminded her of all the good RJLF is doing.  We’ve had the opportunity to see our Fellows complete educational programs and move on to a related career. We’ve been able to provide new experiences such as a ‘very first concert’ or trips outside the state. To see that come to fruition is wonderfully rewarding.”

She’s especially moved by the opportunity to “get to be a part of the day to day successes, and the joy it brings to our Fellows. For example, when a Fellow gets an A in a class that they never thought they’d have the resources to take….We get to help make dreams come true which is pretty amazing.”

Thinking about the future, Kathleen hopes that RJLF will be able to help Fellows overcome obstacles and achieve their goals more quickly. “When we have a Fellow that is a single parent that can only take one or two classes because they need to be working full time to support themself and their child, it would be great to be able to provide them with the opportunity to focus on being a full-time student as well as a parent by providing more financial support. This would allow them to complete a program in one to two years rather than three or four, reaching that ultimate goal of becoming independent and self-sufficient.”

Through her work with RJLF, Kathleen has changed people’s lives for the better. Click on the link to read Thank You letters sent to the foundation by Fellows she has worked with:
http://www.rjleonardfoundation.org/blog/dear-rjlf-i-am-more-motivated-than-ever.

Learn how you can help Fellows with their immediate needs on a monthly basis through our Friends Launching Futures sustaining support fund.​

Last week, on October 19, I drove up from the Montgomery County, Maryland to attend the R.J. Leonard Foundation’s fourth annual Heart for Change fundraising event in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. I have been working as a writer and editor for the RJLF for a couple months, but this was my first time seeing any of the Foundation’s Fellows, staff, or supporters in person. The experience was well worth the four-hour drive.

Before attending Heart for Change, I of course already knew that the RJLF is dedicated to helping young people living in very difficult circumstances achieve their dreams. I was already proud to play a part in the work.

The stories I heard at Heart for Change, however, drove home just how impactful the Foundation has been in the lives of its Fellows.

These young people already had drive, passion, and intelligence before they ever came into contact with the RJLF. What the Foundation has done, however, is given Fellows the tools to harness those qualities and reach their full potential.

I was especially moved by a point that Fellows returned to again and again: that their time with the RJLF has inspired them to give back in turn, thus creating a positive cycle of social change.

The great Robert Kennedy once said that each time a person “stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice,” they send forth “a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest wall of oppression and resistance.”

That is precisely what the RJLF is doing.

By Peter Sicher, Content Development Associate for the R.J. Leonard Foundation

See more photos of our Heart for Change on our Facebook page.

Earlier this year, the R.J. Leonard Foundation’s founder Jo Leonard moved into a new role as our Chief Visionary Officer. We recently sat down with Jo to talk about her new position and her thoughts about the future.

How was the transition to Chief Visionary Officer?
It has been very interesting for me. As you can imagine I felt protective about who I wanted leading this very personal initiative. After interviewing a number of candidates for the role I was relieved to find that one of our own was the best candidate for the job. Caitlin has been working with us since our launch, and so I felt very confident in not just her abilities but her passion and commitment. This made it much easier for me personally.

How is your new role as Chief Visionary Officer different than your previous role as Executive Director? How have your tasks changed?
I’m definitely not as involved in the day to day as I used to be, which is lovely of course, as it gives me more time to work on other projects. Beyond supporting the team as they continue with the transition, I’m constantly on the lookout for new ideas that can improve our programs. I am an avid listener to local media broadcasts, which often highlight local social programs that can be of value to our Fellows (foster care youth we serve). For example, we connected one of our Fellows to Zip Code Wilmington, a fantastic coding program. Sam* excelled in the program and now works for a large investment company, earning a salary that gives him a wonderful quality of life for his new family.

What are you hoping to achieve as Chief Visionary Officer in the next year, or maybe in the next month?
I think the year is a better question than the month. It’s hard to be a visionary every day!
Making connections is what I love to do. Uncovering new supporters and new programs and connecting them to the RJLF keeps the organization fresh and innovative, and engages Bucks and Montgomery County residents in a cause that we can all feel great about. We live in a county of disparate opportunities and overall quality of life. When we share our wisdom, effort and wealth with those who have less opportunity than ourselves, everyone wins.
​
Longer term? I have a lot of big ideas. We are always on the look out for smart, vibrant board members who love the idea of changing the trajectory of someone’s life for the better. With this new team in place, I am confident the big ideas will come to fruition over the next 5 years. And I can’t wait to see it all manifest!
The vision for the RJLF remains the same. It’s quality over quantity, changing the lives of our Fellows in meaningful ways. Our program’s attention to detail and involvement in almost every aspect of our Fellows’ lives is what sets us apart.
​
Meet Jo and Caitlin at Heart for Change, the R.J. Leonard Foundation's largest annual fundraiser!

* Names and identifying information have been changed to protect the confidentiality and safety of Fellows involved in the R.J. Leonard Foundation's programming.

This story was written by the R. J. Leonard Foundation team in cooperation with Miles Hanley, formerly an RJLF Fellow and now an RJLF Board Member. It is a story that has brought Miles Hanley full circle from receiving help from RJLF to now working as a Board Member to offer help to current Fellows.  He is an inspiration to all who know him. Here is his story: 

By the time Miles reached 10 years old, he had lived in four states, constantly relocating due to the instability of his parent’s marriage and abuse within his family. Miles believes he last saw his father when he was between five and seven years old. It was difficult for his single mother to make ends meet as she raised him and his three rambunctious brothers, and when Miles turned 12, his mother became ill, no longer able to care for them. One day child protective services removed Miles and his siblings from their home with only a few minutes to collect their most precious belongings. After a short period of living with other family members, Miles and his brothers entered the foster care system.

Miles shared that after many challenging years in foster care placements, he was accepted to an Independent Living Program, which allowed him to live on his own while finishing high school. “People assume I had guidance and support,” Miles states, but he ultimately guided himself through school and life challenges. “It must have been a sight for other shoppers to see a teenage boy shopping for groceries by himself.”

At age 16, Miles met his future adoptive parents, Chris and Kelli Hanley. “They grew into my parents … my mentors ... They are a huge influence on my life. From navigating school and its complications to getting my driver’s license, Miles said, “they were there for me. After being in foster care, and a broken home, I had no experience of healthy relationships. They were my role models of how men and women should act. Their lessons and their values have taught me about healthy, loving, committed relationships, and how to be a good person in the world.”