HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (TENNESSEE VALLEY LIVING) - Each year, more than 300 teens in Alabama and 19,000 nationwide age out of foster care without permanent families or other support systems. Unfortunately, many fall victim to homelessness, unemployment, and cycles of trauma.
The local non-profit organization Make It Matter: The Collective aims to be the safety net for young people who need a helping hand as they step into adulthood.
The founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Make it Matter, Erica Hardesty, stopped by the studio to discuss the group’s ‘The Time is Now’ initiative.
The 614 Initiative is a transitional apartment community at the heart of the campaign.
The goal is to build it on newly donated land in Owens Cross Roads, Alabama. The development will offer more than just housing — it will provide mentorship, life-skills coaching, workforce training, mental health support, and financial literacy education. The goal is to create an environment where young adults can grow, heal, and build independent lives.
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The campaign is grounded in a relational approach that includes The Collective, a network of dedicated mentors who walk alongside youth as they transition out of foster care. This model aims to bridge the gap between foster care and adulthood, ensuring that no one is left to navigate life alone.
Make It Matter is actively seeking new mentors to join The Collective and financial partners to help bring The 614 Initiative to life.
In addition, the organization is proud to share its growing partnership with Noëlla’s Flowers, a business also headed by Hardesty that shares a passion for community transformation. A portion of all Noëlla’s Flowers’ proceeds directly benefits Make It Matter to help bring these initiatives to life.
With “The Time Is Now,” Make It Matter Collective invites the community to invest in a future where every young person aging out of foster care has the support they need to succeed and a place to call home.
You can learn more about the non-profit by visiting its website, linked here.
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Also, make sure to follow Make It Matter on Facebook and Instagram.
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