JOY Stories
Kristen, Do Goodie Winner
A Heart for Community
Earlier this summer, we partnered with our friends at @buddybrewcoffee to honor those who serve their communities. We had hundreds of entries and one rose to the top! Kristen is an Occupational Therapist and has spent her life serving all kinds of kids, including kids with special needs, foster families and adoptive families! Several families nominated Kristen to be recognized and here are a few of their stories:
-Kristen is literally one of the most amazing OTs in our area. She understands children from hard places to her core. She does it all with a smile on her face and an outpouring of love in her heart. She is the hands and feet of Jesus in the most gentle and humble way to every family she serves. She is my image of Jesus saying, "bring the children to me.”
-There are many children in our community that come from hard places and our sweet Kristen is one of the best. She has poured into their lives and ours as parents. A whole community of foster and adoptive parents feel like we owe much of the progress our kids have made to her. She has been a true part of the wrap-around support necessary for families to thrive for well over a decade, and she has shown up, often to our homes, when it's hard and and we are struggling beyond any ability to repay her.
-For over 13yrs, Kristen Has been our OT for all of the children who have all been in my care when I have fostered and/or adopted them. When I fostered, it didn’t matter what time of night a kiddo would come, Kristen would come to my home and greet them with me. The list is so long of how much Kristen does for our autism and foster/adoptive community. She has loved our family beyond measure and is a consistent light when things can appear very hopeless...and we have had many of those times. She is truly the hands & feet of Jesus! I can’t express how thankful we are for her, she is a blessing to anyone who has had the privilege of meeting her (I’m crying lol).
Last week we were finally able to meet her in person and celebrate her heart for her community! We also brought some of our favorite JOY FM goodies and Buddy Brew trained Kristen on how to make the perfect coffee and send her home with all the tools to do so!