When Branee came into the care of Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries her sophomore year of high school, she had attended 19 schools and was in and out of shelters and foster homes.
Growing up, her father was in and out of her life. Her mother was addicted to drugs and alcohol, causing strokes and medical issues. Her brothers were in and out of foster care. At one point, Branee was the only one with a job to bring in money to support her family.
Branee was determined to work hard at school for a better life, but that proved difficult when her family kept moving and she constantly had to change schools. She often had to catch rides to school because she didn’t have reliable transportation. It was hard to make friends, making her feel even more alone.
“I tried everything I could and just wanted to graduate high school,” said Branee. “I just wanted to go to college. I wanted to make a better life for myself.” Having no stability in her life and constantly moving made it difficult for Branee to achieve those dreams.
When her parents weren’t able to care for her anymore, she was passed around and eventually ended up in foster care.
Branee desperately reached out to family members to take her in. It was devastating for her when no one was able to help. “I was very alone. … I didn’t know what to do,” said Branee. “I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know the next move. I just grabbed my things and had to go.”
Generous donors
When she entered foster care at ABCH, donors generosly helped provide her with the resources to take school credit recovery classes and fix her grade point average in just two years.
She took dual enrollment courses and graduated with a 3.4 GPA and is attending the University of Alabama at Birmingham to become a nurse.
During her time in foster care at ABCH, she formed a relationship with the Lord and accepted Jesus as her Savior. “The feeling I had [when I talked to God] made my heart warm,” shared Branee. “I didn’t feel alone.”
God used the support from generous donors to walk alongside Branee to let her know she is not alone in this journey.
Many kids who age out of foster care do not have resources to support themselves. They are more likely to become homeless, unemployed or incarcerated.
By praying, serving and giving, Alabama Baptists helped Branee defy the odds and make a better life for herself.
The support she received equipped her to continue on to the College Care program, where her tuition, fees, books and other school costs are covered.
Living expenses
On top of that, other living expenses are covered, such as apartment costs, doctor’s visits, counseling, food, clothing and more.
This will allow Branee to truly focus on making her dream of becoming a nurse a reality.
You can help youth like Branee live out the callings God has put on their hearts.
To learn more about how you can make a difference in the lives of hurting children, visit alabamachild.org/bts22.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Nicole Walker and originally published by Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries.
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