Braid mentor Anne McCarthy and her husband Jupp Gill on their wedding day

Foster care inherently includes relational grief and loss, resulting in trauma for everyone involved. But research and experience show that this type of trauma can be healed through consistent relationships.

As a Braid mentor, Anne McCarthy witnessed the life-changing power of relationship firsthand.

“[Mentoring] has been so rich and rewarding,” Anne says. “I was with my mentee for about 5 years and loved seeing how she grew and how our comfort and trust in each other grew. We went through lots of life milestones and ups and downs together.”

When Anne and her now-husband were planning their wedding, they looked for ways to incorporate elements of their personality and hearts into their special day. Instead of collecting wedding gifts, they asked themselves, “What if we could do some good with our wedding and marriage?”

After five impactful years of mentoring, the answer felt obvious. Anne wanted to give others the same opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of youth in foster care. They asked their guests to donate to Braid in lieu of gifts and were amazed by the generosity of their loved ones.

As a mentor, Anne contributed to one girl’s healing process, forever changing both of their lives.

And, through her wedding donation, she ensured that countless more youth will also have access to life-changing relationships.

When you support Braid, you can make the same impact! Thanks to your support, more youth in foster care will have safe, nurturing relationships as they heal.

Do you have a wedding, birthday, or special occasion coming up? Instead of receiving gifts that you later *ahem* regift, ask your friends and family to choose a gift that will make a life-long difference.