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| The Kierrah Foundation: Open Hearts, Open Wings |
The Kierrah Foundation is my passion. These young women have so much energy and potential to give to the community and the world. I feel it's my assignment from God to help these young women. Sometimes I wonder if that is why I lost Kierrah. If I hadn't have lost my granddaughter would I have ever thought about these young women? It's something to think about.
-Pamela "Brandy" Sanders
Written By: Betrice Coleman-Sweet
Posted On: December 19, 2007 @ 9:01 PM PST
Category: Events
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The Kierrah Foundation is an extremely influential entity that thrives on encouraging, empowering and educating young women who were formerly in the foster care system. They receive these young souls with open wings and open hearts.
On Sunday, December 16th, Treazuremag.com was present to offer our support and volunteerism at the 4th annual Kierrah Foundation Toy Drive, sponsored by Patti Labelle and the Labelle Community Football League at West Adams Preparatory High School in Los Angeles, CA. This amazing event was co-sponsored by Amoeba Music, V100 Radio, Score Educational Center, Westlake Work Source Center and the Los Angeles Fire Department. All of these organizations donated their time, money, Toys, Cd's, DVDs , posters and so much more. There were games, raffles (for the kids and adults), face painting and toys, toys and more toys. There was even a special appearance by Spinderella. She was there taking pictures and joining in on the festivities. V100 donated two tickets to the play that is here by popular demand: The Color Purple!!! It was all about giving. The holiday spirit was in the air.
Treazuremag.com was able to talk with the "Angel" that started it all Pamela Sanders A.K.A Brandy, Founder of The Kierrah Foundation. She tells us about the passion behind the foundation and why she is thankful for her many blessings!!
TM: What inspired you to start Kierrah Foundation? What is the meaning behind the name?
Brandy: I started the Kierrah Foundation to help foster girls deal with the lifelong adverse effects of being placed in the foster care system. As a mother of seven children of my own, I know that consistency, love and a foundation of values and respect will ensure that a child can grow into adulthood with the promise of a bright future. This can all be stripped away however when a child misses these things by being placed in foster care and bounced from one home to another. Kierrah is the name of my granddaughter who was placed in foster care and whom I have been trying for years, unsuccessfully, to get out of the system. I have seen a vibrant little girl dull under the uncertainty and oppression of experiencing all that is wrong with foster care: inconsistency, estrangement from family, friends, neighborhoods and any sort of sense of community, being unappreciated and sometimes abused by those that are supposed to care, and lacking the constant love and guidance of a caregiver over the course of childhood. I am committed to help former foster girls because when I look at them, I see my granddaughter Kierrah's world. I want to do whatever I can to help them as they make their way from childhood into adulthood so that the wounds they received in foster care do not destroy their future as well. This is a project that is near and dear to my heart, a lifelong mission that I dedicate not only to my granddaughter but also to all the Kierrahs!
TM: How many young women have you helped?
Brandy: Since 2004, The Kierrah Foundation has helped over 300 young women. We are a "Foundation on Foot" and we deliver services directly to our young women in the streets, in the churches, in homeless encampments, the shelters, wherever we happen to find them.
TM: What type of events and fundraisers do you have?
Brandy: We create and produce Celebrity Events to raise funds to support specific needs of the young women, such as hotel vouchers, bus passes and identification acquisitions. Our plan for 2008, is to create and produce events and fundraising vehicles to promote awareness of the issues that plague former foster girls and also we will be hosting a series of fundraisers to help us secure a building so that our young women can have easy access to the services they so desperately need. The events we have for our girls and their children are generally surrounding holidays - Easter, 4th of July, Back to School, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanzaa & New Year's Eve.
TM: Who are some of the organizations and businesses that you have collaborated with?
Brandy: Westlake WorkSource Center is one of our biggest supporters. They provide employment training and opportunities. Women in Small Businesses provides classes in life skills, financial literacy and also entrepreneurship. We are in talks with several of the major studios for employment opportunities in the Entertainment Industry. Beyond Shelter helps us to locate housing and New Image provides emergency overnight shelter when we need it.
TM: What are some of your struggles running the foundation?
Brandy: The initial struggle is gaining the trust from the young women we are trying to help. Trying to undo what the foster care system has done is a struggle in itself. Making these young women believe that they deserve the best that life has to offer, because they don't feel like they do. Being able to provide the emergency services needed on an ongoing basis. We run out of everything quick. Connecting with sincere volunteers and loyal supporters has been a struggle. And of course, funding is a major struggle at this time!
TM: What is your and the foundations motto?
"Provide a young woman with the tools to survive and you will see her thrive", is my own personal mantra. Stan, my husband and co-founder believes in what he calls our 4E's: "Encourage, Educate, Empower, Enjoy". I think we are always focused on finding girls who need us, figuring out what they need and encouraging them to grow. Helping them identify their uniqueness is one of the primary goals of the foundation.
If you want to find out more information, contact, support or donate to The Kierrah Foundation, please do not hesitate to do so:
Pamela "Brandy" Sanders
Spotlight On Sisters, Producer/Organizer
The Kierrah Foundation, Founder/Executive Director
311 N. Robertson Blvd. Suite 528
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Phone: 323-692-1026
Websites: www.kierrahfoundation.org
www.kierrahevents.org
www.myspace.com/kierrahgirls
www.spotlightonsisters.org
Email: brandy@kierrahfoundation.org
brandy@kierrahevents.org
brandy@spotlightonsisters.org
Treazure, Publisher of Treazuremag.com, has been asked to be a mentor to the young ladies of Kierrah that are a part of the GLBTQ community. Treazuremag.com will continue to bring you events and updates about Kierrah and Spotlight on Sisters!!!
The Kierrah Foundation is an autonomous not for profit organization not affiliated through direction or association with any Federal, State, county or local organization. Nor any foster care agencies.
The Kierrah Foundation receives no government funding of any kind and depends on corporate sponsors, membership, fundraising events and the generosity of the community for its operating budget.
*Check out the pics from the toy drive in our photo gallery*
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