Connect Our Kids

10/13/2026

October is Bullying Prevention Month, children in foster care are often more at risk to be bullied by their peers. It is important for you to let them know that it is okay for them to speak up.

10/10/2026

10/02/2026

Congratulations to Connect Our Kids Board Member Kristin Farmer for being named National University's Humanitarian of the Year.

09/26/2026

As I grow and move on from my job at Connect Our Kids, I didn't expect a job to teach me so much about connection and healing.

About family.
About belonging.
About resilience.
About the people who show up when a child needs them most.

Over the past 6 years, I've had the privilege of visually telling stories about children finding relatives, social workers going the extra mile, CASAs advocating fiercely, and ordinary people becoming extraordinary sources of support.

I've gotten to turn those stories into videos, graphics, campaigns, presentations, posts, and countless little pieces of content.

But behind every piece of content was something much much deeper:
A child who deserved to know they weren't alone.

As I close this chapter with Connect Our Kids, that's what I'll carry with me.
Thank you to everyone who trusted me with their stories, challenged my creativity, laughed with me, collaborated with me, and reminded me why this work matters.

And to the kids at the heart of it all:

I hope you always find your people.
I hope you always know you belong.
And I hope you never stop believing that your story matters.

– Isa Occhionero, Connect Our Kids Social and Brand Content Manager, signing off for the last time to pursue new dreams. 💛

09/23/2026

Fall is a season of change, and as those of us working in child welfare know, change is something our kiddos in foster care know all too well. That’s why we’re thinking differently and radically reimagining what is “normal” for children who experience foster care. What if they felt the love and support of connections in their lives during those transitions, or even were able to avoid moving from placement to placement? What if they felt calm, secure, and held?

That’s why we advocate for a new normal in the operations of behind-the-scenes foster care work and reform. We picture that future, and it’s bright. Connect Our Kids has pioneered life-changing technology tools so that child welfare professionals can find more connections for kiddos in care, so change doesn’t have to be their normal.

If you know anyone working in foster care reform or working for the care of children, please send them this post! You never know what it could inspire.

Please check out our website at: ConnectOurKids.org 🔗

09/21/2026

Beyond the Dirt: What the movie Holes Teaches Us About System-Involved Youth and Family Connections

Before Stanley Yelnats ever arrived at Camp Green Lake, Hector Zeroni was known simply as "Zero." Quiet, unable to read, and discarded by corrupt camp administrators who callously viewed him as "property of the state," Hector represented a heartbreaking reality that many youth in foster care and juvenile justice face: being defined by systemic neglect rather than their potential.

It took just one person, Stanley, to see past the label. Stanley recognized Hector's intelligence, taught him how to read, and built a bond rooted in mutual respect. When they uncovered the hidden treasure and Stanley finally had his chance to leave camp, he refused to walk away without Hector.

However, the most profound revelation in Holes comes at the very end. For years, Hector lived under the assumption that he was completely alone in the world. Yet, the final scene reveals his birth mother had been searching for him the entire time. They were reunited, proving that behind the quiet, "invisible" child was a parent who never stopped loving or looking for him.

At Connect Our Kids, Hector’s story reflects the core of our mission:

– Youth are more than a label:
Children in the welfare system deserve advocates who see their inherent worth and invest in their growth.

– No child is "property of the state": Every young person deserves dignity, identity, and a permanent support network rather than being passed through an indifferent system.

– Family is out there searching: Many children in foster care believe they have no one, while biological parents, extended family, or community members are waiting to be reconnected.

Connect Our Kids builds data-driven technology for child welfare professionals to help trace family connections, map out support networks, and ensure no child feels alone. We believe every young person has a family and a future—and no child should ever be treated like a "Zero."

ConnectOurKids.org.

09/18/2026

A clip from the Texas CASA Conference where we heard from Judge Andrew Bench of the 196th Judicial Court in Hunt County, Northeast Texas. It’s a moving speech and a love letter to all CASAs, social workers, child welfare professionals, foster parents, and anyone involved with the safety of children. You take on children’s suffering and bear the burden, while envisioning a better future for children who may be hurting and alone.

Your work matters; you matter. Thank you for all you do every day; we see you. Take care of yourself today. 💙 ConnectOurKids.org

09/16/2026

WEST VIRGINIA: 15-year-old Sean had lost his father and maternal grandparents early in life and spent over six years in the custody of the West Virginia Department of Human Services. Having no meaningful family connections, Sean moved through multiple foster homes, a residential facility, a shelter, a hotel, and a psychiatric hospital.

In July 2025, a Family Seeing Trainer with Aetna West Virginia began using Connect Our Kids’ tools to search for Sean’s relatives. Sean could name only one grandparent and a few older siblings, and it was clear from his withdrawn demeanor that he had little hope for his future.

Thanks to the Family Seeing process, powered by Connect Our Kids tools, Sean’s paternal grandparents were rediscovered the very day a meeting with Sean was scheduled. They wanted to be part of his life and began exploring having him placed with them out of state. He even spent Labor Day with his family. Sean reportedly has a new spark of hope and even has new goals after this pivotal change.

The grandparents told Sean’s caseworker that they “felt absolutely horrible” because they thought he was placed with his other grandparents this entire time and had no idea he had been in foster care for over 6 years.

Through Aetna’s partnership with Connect Our Kids, more than 50 potential biological connections were identified for Sean—fifty opportunities for connection and belonging that Sean now has!

Learn more at ConnectOurKids.org. Want to help more children like Sean? You can today by donating at https://connectourkids.org/donate/.

*Names and any personally identifiable health information have been modified to protect privacy. All images are sourced from royalty-free or fair-use stock photo websites.

09/14/2026

Last week, after an incredible few days connecting with CASA professionals at the Texas CASA Conference, Kansas gal Heather introduced California gal Georgette to a Texas institution she had never experienced: Buc-ee’s! 🤠

Part travel center, part gas station, part BBQ joint, part gift shop, part roadside attraction, and completely Texas-sized.

Georgette’s verdict after her first Buc-ee’s experience? “It’s a Mecca of Americana. Simply glorious.” 🇺🇸

What a fun way to end a great stay in Texas!