Meet Fran Maynard of Tennessee Alliance For Kids

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Fran Maynard.

Hi Fran, 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 backstory with our readers?
It is by God’s grace that I am where I am today. I am honored to share my journey with you.

To say that I had a dysfunctional childhood is an understatement. I was born in Long Island, New York, into a family where both of my parents were addicts. Not the kind of people with an addiction where you might wonder if they had a problem, but the kind who had such a problem that at the young age of 5, I was removed from their home so that I would be safe and they could get the help they needed.

For two years, I lived with my grandparents, who cared for me like I was their own. My parents ended up in a treatment facility to get the help they needed, and while there, they divorced. When they were finally ready for me to return to them, I moved in with my mother. As any 7-year-old girl would have, my hopes were for a seamless reunification with my mom.

However, it took some time for us to get to know each other again. Although she was “clean,” she made unhealthy choices. We ended up moving from place to place, which meant I moved from school to school, and one of my mom’s new boyfriends, who later became her husband, was abusive.

That is a very abridged version of my childhood.

I searched the world, trying to fill the gap in my heart. I never thought I would be able to experience a life filled with happiness, healthy relationships, friendships, a husband, or children because of my past. I struggled daily to find my purpose and make sense of it all.

By God’s grace and the slow nudging of our Lord pursuing my heart, I started to suspect that the God I’d heard about might be the one thing that would quench my thirst.

Accepting grace and living in freedom has been and will continue to be a part of my salvation story.

I married and had three beautiful children: Abigail, Paul, and Andrew. I have healthy relationships and friendships. But isn’t it just like God to say, “I am not finished with you, my child. Your story is not done being written.”

About eight years ago, my husband and I kept feeling a tug in our hearts: What can we do, and how can we serve our community?

Through our season of prayer, God brought a new awareness to our hearts for His children. That night, we signed up to take classes to become a foster family. Early one morning, we got a phone call we will never forget. It would change our lives forever. Two hours later, we were holding a little girl in our arms.

Nothing could have prepared us for that moment. Our hearts broke for her situation. All the pieces of our broken and sinful world became a crashing reality. We don’t typically feel the weight of the sin that affects the world around us. We are not constantly reminded of the poverty, homelessness, drug abuse, and depravity that go on.

Maybe that was one of the reasons our community of family and friends was so affected by our situation. They immediately wanted to help and rally around this precious child and us. We saw love break through brokenness in ways we never dreamed of.

Our life was going to look different. Our life does look different. Our little girl’s story is still being written; however, we have the privilege of being her forever family.

Since we have been on this journey, I have enjoyed sharing it with others and advocating for vulnerable children. I now have the privilege of serving as the Executive Director of Tennessee Alliance For Kids. This truly remarkable nonprofit helps to meet the needs of those impacted by foster care.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story. Has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Some obstacles and challenges I encounter are accepting grace, living in freedom, and believing I am enough.

Working in foster care reveals the harsh realities of our broken world. It reminds us that we cannot turn a blind eye to what is happening around us and that we all have the power to make a difference.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Tennessee Alliance for Kids (TAK) meets tangible needs to comfort children, empower youth, and offer hope to families impacted by foster care in Tennessee through its TAK PAK and FosterLove programs.

The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) cannot solicit donations as a government agency. In 2016, Tennessee Alliance for Kids was established out of a need for tangible support. TAK works directly with DCS in all of Middle Tennessee, CASA Nashville, and Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes to meet the needs of vulnerable children and youth.

When social workers identify the critical needs of children, TAK meets those needs through items we call FosterLove. What sets TAK apart from other agencies is that we purchase new items and have them quickly sent directly to the families/children in need.

Children often enter foster care with little to no belongings, and what they do bring is sometimes put in a trash bag. TAK meets this need through TAK PAKS, backpacks filled with essential and comfort items for children of all ages entering foster care, and laundry baskets for young adults aging out.

TAK has support for every season…
Kids at Risk
Kids entering care
Youth aging out
Kinship families
Foster families
Reunifying families

Are any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I am at my best when I consistently read my Bible, connect with friends over coffee or dinner, or spend time at the beach with my family. I also enjoy sitting down with a new friend to discuss how they can get involved with vulnerable children and families.

While not everyone is called to foster or adopt, everyone can do something to make a difference!

Pricing:

• $150 TAK PAK
• $100 Gift Card for food
• $200 Car seat
• $450 Bunk bed and bedding
• $20 Crib sheets

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tnallianceforkids.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tennesseeallianceforkids/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TNAllianceForKids
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tennessee-alliance/