We have a lot of new faces who have decided to check out what Home Sweet Hope is all about, so I thought now would be a great time to introduce myself. My name is Staci, I am the founder of Home Sweet Hope. A 501c3 non-profit located in Central NC. We gift custom rooms to children experiencing foster care or adoption. The question I get the most is what made you decide to do what you do? Well...there is not really a simple answer, and what usually goes through my mind is do you want the short version or long version?
Born in the Midwest to a young mother, my life started out with many adversities. When my mother found out she was expecting the doctor gave her three options, she chose adoption. When it came time to sign over her parental rights, she decided against it which then started our life together as mother and daughter. When I was one year old, she met the man who is my dad, and I was adopted by him at age three. Now being raised by two young people, life was not always easy. I was caught up in a cycle of generational trauma, addictions, abuse, and just the simple reality that I was being raised by two inexperienced parents who were still trying to grow up and recover from traumas of their own. One thing I always found joy in was creating beauty around me when I could not find it elsewhere. God had granted me with a very creative mind, so as a child, I was always partaking in various creative activities and re-decorating my room over and over again was one of them! When you grow up like I did, you spend a lot of time hiding out in your room. I had a lot of extra time to constantly explore new ways to design and decorate my "safe space".
Fast forward to my adult years. I always had a strong sense of wanting to help children who experienced similar situations to what I did. I knew from my experiences that even though my parents couldn't always be what they needed to be, I encountered other adults in my life that showed up and were able to show me how special I was. I found great solace in going to church, and many people there were instrumental in showing me the love that God had for me. They made me realize that despite my circumstances, I was loved, worthy, and made by God for a purpose. I was not an unfortunate mistake like I had thought of myself many times before.
In 2018 my family became a foster family. It was the chance I had been waiting for to make a difference in a child's life like others had done for me! It was when I was preparing the room for our own foster placements, I thought to myself, "it would be really cool if I could do this to help others". I had a gift and love for interior design, what better way to utilize my gifts than to use them to place beauty in the lives of vulnerable children! In 2019 I gifted my first room and in 2021 Home Sweet Hope was born! I know that what Home Sweet Hope does for children and foster and adoptive families is just a small part of their journey. Ultimately my goal is to bring HOPE to the children experiencing trauma and loss. I want them to know that they ARE loved, cared for, and worthy. I also want to walk along side of the parents that say "yes" to opening their heart and their homes to children. I want to help them with resources so they can be a successful parent. Having personally walked both sides of the tracks, I fully know the immense need to serve both the children and the caretakers to the best of our ability. The mission of Home Sweet Hope is best summed up by the scripture Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. This scripture is the foundation of our organization and HOPE and a FUTURE is what I want all the children we serve to know they have. I know God kept that promise to me and he will for them too.
Thank you for letting me share a little of my story. Of course, one person's heart to help vulnerable children cannot do it all. We greatly appreciate all that have walked this journey with us so far, and we hope many more will continue to see the value in what Home Sweet Hope does so we can continue to serve many more children and families. If you would like to join us in our mission, visit our website by clicking on the button below.