By Heidi Ramirez
Future Johns found herself in a place in life where she wanted to give back. She recalled reading a book about the challenges youth in foster care face and how many older kids age out of foster care without a family or support system. She felt that she was not at a point in her life where she could step in and be the catalyst of change for a child in foster care. After doing a bit of research, she discovered Kidsave’s Weekend Miracles program in Houston, Texas.
Future recalls attending her first Weekend Miracles event and feeling nervous and awkward because it was an unfamiliar space. “All the kids knew each other and everyone knew each other, and I was just kind of sitting there,” said Future. “And then two girls came to sit at my table, and it was just like, instant match just like that.” Those two girls were best friends Briana and Journey.
Encouraged by the connection with Briana and Journey, Future continued attending events, and soon, all the unease from the first event vanished.
“You start interacting with the other adults there, and you realize ‘Oh, we’re all here for the same reason,’ and it’s not so intimidating. You realize we’re all in this together.”
Briana joined the Weekend Miracles program in 2022 at 14 years old. She was excited to meet someone who she quickly connected with, and she and Future continued spending time together at events. The two found a sense of confidence and comfort with each other. Future was a safe place for Briana to share her thoughts and emotions without any judgment, and Briana often made Future laugh and think about things differently than before.
A turning point for the two came when they attended a Kidsave-sponsored Houston Astros game. The annual Astros game is a smaller gathering that Kidsave organizes for kids and adults who have already started developing a connection; it’s an opportunity to spend quality time together and cement their bond.
“It was great being able to spend that time together outside of the regular Kidsave events, so it was just us together at that game,” said Future. I was like, ‘Okay, this is going to work, I can do this.’”
A few months later, Future and Briana were matched to start hosting. Hosting is when an adult or family commits to spending at least two weekends a month with a child. In some cases, kids may move in with their hosts, and in others, they remain with their foster family but spend weekend visits with their hosts. Both Future and Briana were excited to spend more time together, but their journey wasn’t without its challenges.
When Briana was unexpectedly placed in a different foster home, Future suddenly couldn’t get in touch with her. But she didn’t give up or lose hope. With some help from Briana’s caseworker, Future connected with Briana’s new foster home and arranged a visit. She remembers how surprised and happy Briana was to see her. Future reassured Briana that no matter where the system placed her, she would always be there for her.
They slowly built trust through regular outings before attempting overnight visits. This gradual approach allowed them to strengthen their relationship in a way that felt safe and natural for Briana. Future remembers a specific moment when Briana was having some issues with homework and had difficulty addressing what was troubling her. Future gave her some space to calm down and with a little time, Briana felt comfortable opening up about what was bothering her. Once Future and Briana successfully navigated this situation, Future felt better prepared to tackle new challenges.
Future’s favorite memory with Briana was an afternoon together in the kitchen. They were trying to bake a sweet treat—one of Briana’s favorite hobbies. Briana loves baking, but Future admits neither of them are very good at it. On that fateful day, what they thought was going to be a simple dessert, turned into six hours of work in the kitchen.
“It looked like someone had just thrown flour on us,” recalled Future, laughing.
After over two years of being Briana’s host, Future advises anyone who wants to be a host, mentor, or adoptive parent to always remember their why. “Why do you do it? Why are you here? Why do you keep coming back?” says Future. For Future, she’s learned that creating a meaningful relationship takes patience, consistency, and an open heart.
Weekend Miracles
There are many kids and teens in our Weekend Miracles program who need mentors, hosts, and forever families. Kidsave’s Weekend Miracles program helps older kids in foster care (age 9-17) connect with loving forever families or lasting connections. This program is available in Los Angeles, California; Houston, Texas; and Central and Northern Virginia.
