Bates Mission

🚨 Year 5 Flashback: The Networking Hustle 🚨

As we continue our countdown to August, we’re looking back at the season when Bates Mission was powered by coffee meetings, chamber breakfasts, and a whole lot of explaining.

Before there were programs, there were conversations.

There were early mornings with name tags and handshakes.
There were “So what exactly do you do?” questions.
There were moments of trying to fit a big vision into a two-minute introduction.

We talked about young adults aging out of foster care — and why stability, support, and community matter more than people realize.

We repeated the mission again.
And again.
And again.

Some conversations led nowhere.
Some turned into partnerships.
Some became the first people who said, “We believe in this.”

It wasn’t flashy. But it was foundational.

Looking back, those rooms full of small talk and big hope helped build everything that came next. 💙

Honoring those who gave everything so the rest of us could have a future worth building. 🇺🇸

Wishing you a meaningful Memorial Day.

When Sheila's Supply Closet started, it looked like themed deliveries — laundry supplies one month, hygiene products the next — shipped out to the young adults we serve.

That was the beginning. Over the last few years, something shifted.

We've been able to set up actual supply closets inside some of the supervised independent living (SIL) facilities we partner with stocked and ready, so the young adults living there have access to what they need without having to ask, wait, or go without.

And then something else shifted too.

Now, the SILs call us. When they're running low on something specific, when a young adult is moving into their very first space and needs everything, we get a call, we place an order, and we ship it directly to them. Sometimes across the state.

That's not how it started. That's what five years of showing up builds.

A supply closet isn't a dramatic intervention. But having what you need, when you need it, in a space that's starting to feel like yours? That matters more than it sounds. 💙

Staying connected shouldn’t require a reminder on your calendar 😉

Our mailing list is the easiest way to keep up with Bates Mission — from our monthly newsletter to the occasional special announcement or behind-the-scenes update.

Low volume. High heart. Unsubscribe anytime.

https://batesmission.org/subscribe/

Mental health and foster care aren't two separate conversations. Here's why they've always been one for us. 💙

We’re often asked, “What does a Spirit Night actually look like?”

The answer: lots of different things. From donuts and cheese classes to game nights and shopping parties, Spirit Nights turn everyday events into meaningful support for young adults aging out of foster care.

If this sparked an idea — or made you think of a business owner we should meet — send us a message. 💙

Happy Mother's Day to every woman showing up for someone today . . . whether or not it's in the job title. 💛🌸

The ones who stepped in, stayed, and kept showing up. You know who you are.

📊 This Mental Health Awareness Month, we want to zoom in on something specific.
When we talk about mental health and foster care, the conversation often stays broad. But the data tells a more detailed story.

Research from the Casey National Foster Care Alumni Study found that foster care alumni experience major depression at about 1.5 times the rate of the general population and panic disorder at more than three times the rate.

These aren't random numbers. They reflect years of instability, trauma, disrupted relationships, and transitions that most people never have to navigate, often without consistent support or access to care.

Mental health outcomes don't develop in a vacuum. They grow out of the conditions people live in. And for young adults aging out of foster care, those conditions are harder than most people realize.

That's why stability — a safe place, consistent people, basic needs met — matters as much as it does. 💙

📚 Sources: Casey National Foster Care Alumni Study (Casey Family Programs) National Library of Medicine

Some of the most important things that have happened at Bates Mission started with a simple introduction.

A connection through the Leander Chamber led to our partnership with Texas Two-Step Gaming. Conversations with people at local colleges are helping shape what our work in the college access space could look like.

None of those things happened because of a big campaign. They happened because someone connected us to the right person.

On April’s blog, we’re sharing a few of the ways those conversations have helped the mission grow.

🔗 Read the full story: https://batesmission.org/the-quiet-power-of-connections/

💙 The results are in . . . and we are so grateful!

Texas Two-Step Gaming chose Bates Mission as their Charity Spotlight last month, and their community did not disappoint. Towels were our biggest need going into this quarter, and their players delivered . . . eight large storage totes worth!

Thank you to Texas Two-Step Gaming for partnering with us again this year, and to every player who dropped off a donation. You showed up, and it means everything. 🙌