11/14/2022
Why? Why did we start this foundation? Why this specific purpose?
Those are all valid questions. First and foremost, we wanted to make sure that even though Talen was no longer with us, he would never be forgotten. We also wanted help others like Talen. If you knew Talen, he had a very deep love for his siblings, as they did for him. So we wanted to help siblings of those with special needs as well.
At the time of Talen’s passing, Talen’s sister Kennedy, was a senior in high school. She was currently in the middle of applying for scholarships so that she could attend college the following year. Anyone that has ever gone through this process knows that it is a very time consuming and arduous effort. Anyway, mid-application process we discovered that if an applicant did not participate in any extracurricular activities, they were less likely to get a scholarship or they would get a lesser scholarship than those who did participate in extracurricular activities. We understand that those who are giving the scholarship want to know that they are giving them to well rounded applicants. However, if you have ever been around someone with special needs, you quickly learn that taking care of them requires the entire family. It is not just a responsibility that lies with the parents, it falls to the siblings as well. Many times, this can limit their ability to participate in “normal” extracurricular activities. So, that is where the idea for Team Talen Foundation originated. We want to give scholarships to individuals with special needs and/or their siblings who want to attend college/trade school. We feel that these individuals learn more from loving and assisting their family members than any sport could ever teach them. So any contribution to this effort is greatly appreciated. 💛