About the Nonprofit
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Taylor Pyles founded the Blue Ribbon Project in 2015 based on his life experience growing up in the foster care system and knows first-hand the trauma foster children experience. His experience in the foster program led to his career as a police officer investigating child abuse. Given Taylor's history he is intimately aware of the needs of children in foster care and has thoughtfully created nine unique programs at the Blue Ribbon Project to address the specific needs unique to foster youth.
The Blue Ribbon Project programs include:
Adult Survivors of Childhood Trauma Support Groups
Backpacks of Love
Mirah's Closet
A Hand to Hold Youth Alliance Program
Aging Up...Not Out
College Support Fund
Celebrations Club
Foster Friends
Training Programs: Speak up....Speak Out
Taylor Pyles originally founded the Blue Ribbon Project because 5 of his foster care siblings passed away before the age of 40 from overdoses or suicide. He felt compelled to do something to help children in the system avoid the same fate and initially created the Adult Survivors of Childhood Trauma Support Groups. Child victims of abuse and neglect often have lifelong challenges with mental health, suicides, drug addiction, homelessness, incarceration or other issues. The Adult Support groups help survivors to feel less lonely and isolated, reduce depression and anxiety, improve skills to cope with challenges and to forge connections with other survivors.
Taylor quickly realized he wanted to have an even greater impact and expanded the Blue Ribbon Project to 8 additional programs to further address the needs of all victims of child abuse and neglect throughout their life in the foster care system and beyond.
The Backpacks of Love, as discussed above assists children at the moment they enter foster care. Mirah’s Closet Program was launched to provide essential items to meet the continuing needs of children in the system. Caregivers and foster youth “shop” for clothes, toys and personal items that they themselves select.
A Hand to Hold Youth Alliance Program provides resources, tutoring, and guidance to youth in need of additional resources not provided by other programs. Aging Up....Not Out is designed specifically for kids who are growing older in the foster system and have not been provided everyday "Life Skills". This program helps provide the tools for these kids to survive on their own as they become adults.
The Blue Ribbon Project's College Support Fund provides grants and financial assistance for books, materials and other fees for academic success beyond high school. The Blue Ribbon Project's Celebrations Club works to recognize foster children during special events such as their birthday while Foster Friends provides enrichment activities, develop social skills, boost self confidence and self esteem for children and young adults in foster care. Finally our training programs teach the signs of abuse and neglect in order to stop it from occurring.
