Chris Jansen-Yee, PsyD & Associates, P.C.

03/27/2024

This is an amazing program for the community!!!!

A new era begins in Muskegon tomorrow!
Because today we have received our Certificate of Occupancy! Tomorrow the first of our First Place apartments will be occupied with a youth who aged out of foster care.
This is a big moment, it has been 3 1/2 years in the making. We are amazed and grateful and humbled by all the help and support that has gotten this project to this point. And we are so incredibly excited to be able to offer this resource.
But this must only be a beginning.

You see, we currently have 2 apartments available for youth exiting the foster care system. And this month we received 10 applications for those 2 apartments.
That's just the current reality of where we are. That doesn't even begin to cover the current need, not to mention all the youth who will be turning 18 in foster care between now and the end of the year.

We are also excited to announce that we begin construction on 2 more duplexes in the next few weeks. We plan to offer 4 more apartments by the end of the year! Because of the generosity of donors who believe in this vision, we are able to create more spaces to help more youth in the near future.

But we also hate waiting lists. Every application is a youth who needs to be given a chance, and we want to give as many of those chances as we can.

So #1 - Celebrate with us! This is a huge milestone and we are grateful for it!

And #2 - Think about how you can help make this a reality for more youth here locally. We will build 2 more duplexes this year for sure, it could be 3. Instead of 6 total apartments we could have a total of 8 by the end of the year if we have enough support. And after that we have space on our property for 7 duplexes, 14 total apartments!

Kidsbelong.org/firstplace has been updated with all the program and site plan information, fundraising progress, and how to give information. Please support and share it with someone in your life who wants to support foster youth.

02/15/2024

12/24/2023

Good morning, soul family,

It is ok - and I would venture to say that it’s NORMAL - to experience a wide range of emotions during the holiday. As humans we experience conflict with family and friends, grief from loss when they transition from Earth to Heaven, joy watching children open gifts, to the pain of not having a family to be with on the holiday.

And the older I get, the more I understand that we can be both in a place of mourning AND experience gratitude, happiness, even joy.

This is the beauty of the human experience. 🙏

So, no matter what you are experiencing this holiday weekend, I want you to know that it’s ok.

It’s ok to grieve and miss loved ones.
It’s ok to feel joy.
It’s ok to feel hurt or disappointed.
It’s ok to feel happiness.
It’s ok to feel deep sadness.
And it’s ok to experience all. 💜

If you are having a challenging time or moment, I want you to know your angels are with you and are wrapping you up with love. Today’s Reiki candle at 11:11 am EST is intended to bring supportive energy to you. All you need to do is say yes.

We’ve got you, loves. 💜

I hope you have a wonderful day. I’m sending you lots of love.

Xo
Laura

Thank you to and for the positive post and love. 💜