Empty Frames Initiative

The Elevate Prize is an opportunity for Empty Frames Initiative to take the next big step. We’ve been learning, growing, and working towards our first pilot site and I believe that the support provided through this prize would catalyst the funding we need to make that facility a reality. 

Hi! I’m Miriam, I’m 25, and I started Empty Frames Initiative five years ago. I felt like God had laid orphan care on my heart for a long time, I was interested in photography and travel, and after spending time with a business incubator in California (DCO) the full vision was launched. This organization looks to empower orphaned and vulnerable youth as they transition out of state care. We’re starting in the US, and we carry a global vision. 

Empty Frames Initiative looks to empower orphaned and vulnerable youth as they transition out of state care.  We look to do this by providing counseling, training in life skills, community, and access to the Gospel. We’re starting in the US - working with youth as they transition/age out of the foster care system - and we carry a global vision as the need is great around the world. Since we began we have looked at best practices and collaboration, and have found our niche in a short term residential style program that equips the young adults involved for their next steps and provides them a network of support for their future. We’ve seen that one of the biggest issues that comes up is the lack of a support network, because it impedes young adults ability to access resources, learn communication, or to safely take chances. Through a focus group with former foster youth we learned that the most pressing need they see is the need to learn healthy communication, this impacts ones ability to keep a job, make friends, and make healthy relationship choices. We believe our program can help. 

Our program looks to disrupt cycles of abuse or dependency in families by helping young adults who have left the foster care system without a family support network. We look to provide our clients the time, space, and encouragement they need to make plans for their future. 

Our uniques:

• 3 month timeline
• Community 
• Collaboration 

Our organization was given the advice, “make it as small as possible”. We have a big vision, but we tried to make it small to demonstrate the need and the truth that this type of program can work. In 2018 we piloted our art-therapy and literacy program, Storytelling Through Photography (this is one piece of our curriculum that is created by us, but it still utilized proven techniques in art therapy). We went through the curriculum with 3 former foster youth, 2 foster parents, and 2 social workers. Through the process we built relationships with the youth that are still going to this day, and in the process we created a book to give the narrative back to those who have lived/worked in the system. It’s titled, The Story of Foster Care volume 1, because we hope to repeat this process with our future clients in our facility. We believe that this process demonstrated the way our program will work, relationship driven and focused on each individual‘s story, and helps educate our communities on the need. 

We’ve been meeting with individuals and groups since the books publication to talk about how we can bring the bigger vision to our communities.