Exploring Life & Business with Jenny Sanders of Foster 180

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Sanders.

Hi Jenny, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
Foster 180 started because my family said yes to foster care 7 years ago. As we learned more about the families we were serving, the more we realized there was so much more that needed to be done. Foster 180 empowers the community to engage the worth of at-risk children and families. We work to build and connect resources for foster and birth families within their community that help them build a better future for themselves holistically.

I grew up in an at-risk family which also drives my passion not only for the children but for the parents involved in the Child Welfare System. At Foster 180, transforming families is our desire. We serve families by helping them gain tools for their parenting journey. Families were created to be together, and when it is broken we believe we should help reconcile that family any time it is possible. When it is not possible, we desire to help adopt families navigate the tranformation that happens in the family in the adoption process and beyond.

Foster 180’s logo and name symbolize that transformation. We often see families that are stuck in a 360 cycle of generational trauma. We are aware that the behaviors that come to the surface due to that trauma often look like perpetual bad decision-making, which can make these families the subject of a lot of judgment. We work hard to help train anyone who is willing in trauma informed care. This has also spurred us to create resources within our county to help build stronger foster homes, providing support and guidance, especially in hard times of placement situations. We have built partnerships to help birth families break the cycles to promote growth and healing for themselves and their children.

We have had the incredible opportunity to help build a mentor program to be able to meet children where they are and help build resilience in them before they turn 18, which is a huge benefit for the child now and in the future. We also started a camp for children to come and be loved on. They learn coping skills in the disguise of fun games, and the friendships that are made are priceless. It is so much fun! We strive every day to meet needs, anticipate new challenges, and work hard to be the catalyst of change for our foster community in Wilson County.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a super smooth road, we started playing with the idea of becoming a non-profit right before Covid shut everything down. We waited until October 2021 to officially become a non-profit, however during the tornado recovery and Covid, we still served families.

I believe one of our biggest struggles is what I call the ‘invisible storm’. The invisible storm barrels through a family and leaves an aftermath that many do not notice, even if they are living just down the road. Our children and families are nameless and faceless most of the time. This can make raising money hard because the stories are private, and we become what I call “story keepers”, their stories are not for us to tell. However, the need is huge, we need donors. If families’ needs are not met then the outcome is and becomes a very public matter. Our children who are at risk, and who do not receive the resources necessary have horrible and real statistics that follow them through adulthood. I feel like our help is invisible to the “everyday” eye. Only those who are willing to see the issues in their own backyards, will ever really see the needs of the families affected by the Child Welfare System, and in turn, see the need to support our efforts in bigger ways.

Through these struggles, I have learned a lot about myself and about the good work we are doing, empathy and understanding being big ones. Often I think in foster care loving the children is an easy thing for most people. The reason most people shy away from foster care is the adults! I learned quickly the adults are important and necessary. If we are going to serve the children, we have to serve the adults. I also learned that very often our teenagers get overlooked. Teenagers and the babies need love and care. Also, patience, perseverance, kindness, gratitude and trusting God’s sovereignty are musts in this work.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Foster 180?
I specialize in trauma, I had a lot of trauma growing up in an at-risk family. When I became a foster parent I had already worked on my own journey of healing quite a bit. Working hard on your own story is absolutely necessary, especially if someone wants to work closely with these familes. I dove deep into learning and being trained in trauma-informed practices to help the children and families, it is a privilege to walk in this space with these familes. We are available to trauma train any individuals, groups, staff, or programs who desire this important skill. Having my own journey to reflect on, I saw firsthand the benefits of knowing trauma-informed practices. Knowing the language, techniques and practicality have only improved my home and my business.

Also, because of this knowledge, I was asked to be on the team that helped write the DCS pre-service curriculum, TN-KEY, which is taught across our state to all potential foster parents. I have gained knowledge in Dr. Gantt’s ITR trauma therapy and am a Practitioner of Trust-Based Relational Intervention, which was created at KPCID at Texas Christian University. I am most proud of the work that we are able to do on a daily basis to meet the needs of families. Sometimes those needs are physical, but most of the time they are relational, and because of the knowledge and experience I have, I am able to help families navigate hard situations. I will also share that I am also proud of myself, I did not have the opportunity to attend college for a couple reasons, however, all the knowledge and experience I have acquired in these 7 years is priceless to this work.

I have realized that what I most desired God gave me, without a degree from a college or university. The desire He placed on my heart was to be a voice for the voiceless. This is often the desciption of our children and our families that are affected by the Child Welfare System. Overcoming the self-judgment that I was not worthy to sit at the tables that I have sat at, often with others who had degrees upon degrees, has been my biggest self-accomplishment in doing this work. What I needed God has equipped me with and provided training every step of the way. I am so thankful for the overwhelming passion He has given me for this work. He has also blessed me with an incredible team of people who have passion and drive to do this work together. They are invaluable to the work of Foster 180 and are a blessing to me personally.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood moments were the times when I and my two sisters would turn music on and sing at the top of our lungs and dance and dance. Music still means a lot to me, especially when I am in a situation where circumstances could become overwhelming.

Contact Info:

• Website: foster180.com
• Facebook: Foster 180