Reenea’s Story

At six years old, Reenea entered the foster care system, torn from her mother and labeled an "angry girl." Instead of support, she was sent to mental hospitals, feeling misunderstood and alone. While her siblings found homes, she was shuffled between shelters and abusive placements.

Her only stability came from her current mother, who had adopted her sister. She finally found someone who understood her pain. Despite missing school due to shelters and hospitals, she learned to care for a family before she ever had a childhood.

Through her pain, she learned how to navigate life differently. She saw the world not as a place that owed her kindness but as one she had to shape for herself. She understood that love wasn’t always given freely, that stability had to be fought for, and that survival meant more than just making it through the day—it meant believing in a future beyond her circumstances.

Now fifteen, she prepares to age out of the system with caseworker support, though she knows not all foster kids are as lucky. She dreams of college and a stable future. Her message to potential foster parents: Understand the trauma these kids carry—don’t just expect them to fit into your world.

Through pain, she has found resilience, hope, and the strength to keep going.