Beauty with Heart Foundation

05/25/2026

This right here is exactly why we started Beauty With Heart Foundation. 💛

One of our board members, Allison, had her son’s 2nd birthday party yesterday and instead of asking for gifts for him, she asked everyone to bring donations for children in foster care for our Christmas party in December.

And just look at this table. 🥹

The amount of love and generosity shown yesterday was incredible. These gifts are going to help make Christmas so special for so many children.

We are thankful to have people like Allison and her family apart of this foundation. This is what it’s all about… people coming together to make children feel loved, celebrated, and cared for. 💛🎁

05/09/2026

A huge thank you to the Carnival Association Of Long Beach for their incredibly generous donation to Beauty with Heart!

Beauty with Heart was created with one mission: to make sure foster children and underserved children in our community experience the joy and magic of Christmas. Because of the kindness and support of organizations like Long Beach Carnival Association, we are able to provide gifts, love, and hope to children who deserve to feel special during the holiday season.

We are so grateful for your support and for helping us make a difference in the lives of local foster children.

If you would like to donate and help us spread a little extra love this Christmas, please send us a message. Every donation, big or small, helps us bring smiles to children in need. ❤️🎄

05/02/2026

“May is National Foster Care Month 💙

That little girl in this photo had no idea what she was about to go through…

I don’t think people truly understand what foster care feels like.

I was in 8–9 different homes.

You grow up fast… because you don’t have a choice.
You’re constantly reminded you’re “just a foster kid.”
Trouble. Broken. Disposable. Like the odds are already stacked against you before you even have a chance.

You’re misunderstood more than you’re ever heard.

You’ve already been through things most adults couldn’t handle… and then you’re placed into a stranger’s home with your life in a trash bag.

That kind of pain doesn’t come out as sadness.
It comes out as anger… because that’s the only emotion you know how to process.

And at night…
you wait until everyone is asleep…
bury your face into a pillow…
and finally cry where no one can see you.

These are the parts no one talks about.

This is why Lauren and I created Beauty with Heart Foundation.

Because these kids deserve more than survival… they deserve to feel seen, supported, and valued.

If this touched you, share it. Awareness matters more than you know 💛”

04/29/2026

🎄✨ HELP US MAKE CHRISTMAS MAGICAL ✨🎄

This year, we’re coming together to create a beautiful, unforgettable Christmas for foster children in our community… but we can’t do it alone. 🤍

We’re currently looking for local businesses who want to give back and be part of something truly meaningful:

🍽 Food donations from local restaurants
🎁 Raffle items (products, services, gift baskets & more)
🧦 Stockings + stocking stuffers for the kids

Every single donation helps us create a moment these kids will feel seen, celebrated, and loved.

If you’ve ever wanted to give back… this is your moment.

💌 Message us to get involved or partner with us!

04/22/2026

This article takes me back to a moment that shaped my purpose.

In 2018, I was named Gulf Coast Military Spouse of the Year—but the title gave me something more important: a platform.

A platform to speak on something I know firsthand.

I grew up in foster care, and like so many children, I was given a black trash bag to carry my belongings.

That moment never left me.

So I used my voice to raise funds for duffle bags—because something as simple as a bag can restore dignity in a moment that feels anything but.

That same passion is what led to the creation of Beauty With Heart Foundation 🤍

A local Coast Guard wife is thanking the community for stepping up and giving back to area foster kids. It's a project that is close to her heart having gone through the system -- she knows first hand the need.

03/28/2026

Help us make Christmas magical 🎄✨

We’re now accepting donations for our Foster Children Christmas Party in Gulfport, MS. Donations will be used for raffle items, tickets will be given out at the event so both foster children and foster parents have a chance to win 🎁

We’re looking for gift cards, products, services & items for raffle baskets.

Your support helps create a day they’ll never forget 🤍
Message us to donate 💌

03/27/2026

EDIT: WE FOUND A SANTA!! Thank you everyone!!

🎅✨ We’re looking for a professional Santa to donate their time for our Harrison County Foster Kids Christmas Party on December 5th!

Help us bring magic and joy to these amazing kids ❤️

📍 Lyman Community Center, Gulfport, MS
🕚 11AM–2PM

Tag a Santa or message us if you know someone! 🎄

03/27/2026

✨ A very special milestone for Beauty with Heart Foundation ✨

We are beyond grateful to officially share that Beauty with Heart Foundation is now an approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit 🤍

What started from lived experience, passion, and a deep desire to give back has now become something truly real, and this is only the beginning.

This mission has always been personal. It was built from a place of understanding what so many foster and underserved children go through, and the desire to make sure they feel seen, supported, and valued.

Now, as an official nonprofit here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, we are so excited to continue growing this mission and creating meaningful impact in our community.

This December, we will be hosting our very first Foster Kids Christmas Celebration , a day dedicated to bringing joy, love, and unforgettable memories to children and families who deserve it most.

There is so much more to come, and we cannot wait to share this journey with all of you.

Thank you for being here, for believing in this mission, and for supporting something that is so close to our hearts. 💛

03/05/2026

Where This Mission Began 💛

Before Beauty with Heart Foundation ever existed, this mission was already close to my heart.

In 2014, when my husband was stationed in Sault Ste. Marie while serving in the United States Coast Guard, I organized my very first Christmas celebration for foster youth. Having grown up in foster care myself, I know how hard the holidays can be for kids who may not always feel seen, supported, or celebrated.

I wanted to create something special, a day where foster kids could experience joy, community, and the magic of Christmas.

Years later, when we moved back to Michigan in 2021, I organized another Christmas celebration for foster youth. The event meant so much to me and the families involved that it was featured in this article in 2022.

Those moments, seeing the smiles, the excitement, and knowing these kids felt loved, stayed with me. They are also what inspired the creation of Beauty with Heart Foundation.

Now that we are here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, we are incredibly excited to continue this mission. This year, we are planning a large Christmas celebration for foster youth in Long Beach, Mississippi, and we cannot wait to bring this special event to our community.

This journey has been years in the making, and we are just getting started. 💛

Thank you to everyone who continues to support this mission and believes in making a difference for foster and underserved youth.

'We will never know how much of a difference this one night has made to a child'

02/26/2026

Introducing our driving force, cofounder and president, Jen Dexter-Edsall. She is one of the largest parts of our “why.” Her heart speaks louder than her Boston accent because she preaches real life experience.

Jen’s passion stems from her teen years spent in foster care. But her goals in this foundation show each precious child that they are capable of more than their labels. They are to educate foster youth and underserved youth of all ages on self-care, provide unwavering support from someone who has been there, and show every child how capable each of them are of beating every odd thrown their way.

Our goal at Beauty with Heart foundation is to provide a safe space for all foster youth and underserved children on the Gulf Coast. While providing a safe space for all, we want each child to know how deeply loved they are and how lucky we are that we get to be a small part of their journey.

We cannot wait to share all of the ways the community will be able to be involved in helping changing a life of 1 or more children. 🫶🏼 If you have questions about how to become a positive impact in our community, reach out! We would love for you to be a part of our events through volunteer opportunities and more.