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"I found the Nationals Angels through Jessica and Producer Eddie on The Bull. They were playing my song “Those Days” on their station, I had just played a show for them, and I saw on Instagram that Eddie was doing a walk from West Virginia to Tennessee. I looked into what he was doing the walk for and found myself on the National Angels website realizing that they had 22 chapters across the US. I was about a month away from driving across the country, by myself, for 81 days- without a route- because I knew God would provide me with answers if I was patient and open. I already knew that I wanted to volunteer while I was on the road, but up until that point, I thought I was going to end up picking up trash once a week. I saw that Susan had replied to a comment I made about wanting to be involved if Eddy did his walk again, and that she was the CEO of Nation Angels.
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Before my trip, I knew I liked the organization, and Susan, but I didn’t really know what to expect volunteering and what everyone else would be like. I can honestly say, from my first volunteer day in Cleveland, Ohio, to driving down the west coast volunteering in Seattle, Spokane, Salem, and Bakersfield, to my last volunteer day in New Jersey I was treated like part of a family. An amazing family who genuinely wants to participate in making the world a better place for children in foster care.
I got to know the hearts of the people behind this organization. I was able to share meals with many of them, share my voice and original songs, and have multiple hour conversations with some of them, with their loved ones, in their homes, where they graciously offered to let me stay. As I traveled across the country to all these chapters, I not only fell more in love with the National Angels, but I grew to believe more and more in its message and their capability to make a real impact in this world. I saw the ambition and pure intention of the people working to repair the cracks in our society’s foundation.
I got to know the hearts of the people behind this organization. I was able to share meals with many of them, share my voice and original songs, and have multiple hour conversations with some of them, with their loved ones, in their homes, where they graciously offered to let me stay. As I traveled across the country to all these chapters, I not only fell more in love with the National Angels, but I grew to believe more and more in its message and their capability to make a real impact in this world. I saw the ambition and pure intention of the people working to repair the cracks in our society’s foundation.
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I was also given opportunities to meet some amazing foster families and their children. I’ll never forget my first stop in Cleveland when I went to visit Abby and her family. I commented on how beautiful I thought her braid was, and without hesitation, she pointed to the elastic on my wrist, and proceeded to put a beautiful braid in my hair, right there in her front yard. I didn’t realize at the time that it was just a little taste of the enormous kindness I would continue to find on my trip while volunteering. In all 16 of the 22 chapters I was able to visit- I was always welcomed no matter where I was in the country- I even had people reach out to their friends in other states who I could connect with. It is clear to me, that the support I was shown during my travels, is a tell tale sign of the same support National Angels chapters show to others in their communities.
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It is the same support they are delivering to children in foster care and their foster families. Their spirit equips them with the ability to work on changing the system and the environment that children in foster care grow up in. They are providing these children with stability and support throughout their lives, and also extending that same support to families who choose to foster.
I honestly just cannot say enough wonderful things about this organization and the people in it. National Angels is made up of the most warm, kind hearted people who truly have a desire to serve their community and improve this world, and I love that they all know each other and support each other chapter to chapter. At each chapter everyone thanked me for volunteering my time, but I truly want to thank Susan, and Heather for helping to coordinate my volunteer days, all the wonderful chapter leaders for your hospitality and allowing me to be a part of your team (and families) for a day, or just a couple hours, and to everyone connected to the National Angels that I was able to meet along the way. I value all the conversations we were able to share and the shared experiences of helping others.
I honestly just cannot say enough wonderful things about this organization and the people in it. National Angels is made up of the most warm, kind hearted people who truly have a desire to serve their community and improve this world, and I love that they all know each other and support each other chapter to chapter. At each chapter everyone thanked me for volunteering my time, but I truly want to thank Susan, and Heather for helping to coordinate my volunteer days, all the wonderful chapter leaders for your hospitality and allowing me to be a part of your team (and families) for a day, or just a couple hours, and to everyone connected to the National Angels that I was able to meet along the way. I value all the conversations we were able to share and the shared experiences of helping others.
After leaving my first volunteer day at the Cleveland office, I sat in the parking lot, reflecting on what had led to such a beautiful day, and the feeling of pure excitement and gratitude for all the volunteer days to come. It had been a little over a year since I had found myself unengaged, a few months before I was supposed to walk down an isle, and during that time, I had been working to rediscover who I was and what my new path was, while navigating my way through a lot of pain. After that first volunteer day, all I kept thinking was- “how did I get so lucky?”. I felt this overwhelming reassurance from God that I was exactly where I needed to be in my life, and I feel so much gratitude for all the time I was able to spend working with this organization.
Thank you for adding so much value and purpose to my 81 day journey. I truly feel like I am surrounded by “my people” in this community and feel grateful for the opportunity to participate in something that is truly making a difference, and much bigger than myself. Everyone in this world deserves love, someone they can confide in, and the confidence to believe in themselves, and I truly believe that is what National Angels is doing. It is much more than a non-profit- it is a movement- with a dedicated culture of love, support, and acceptance with open arms. The need for this is proven in the amount of chapters that have been established in just a few years, and I feel truly blessed that my path in life has led to, and joined with, this family. I look forward to continuing my support and advocacy for this organization however I can. Again, I truly just want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for all the work you do, thank you for allowing me to help, and thank you for all the kindness and support that you have shown me. I can’t wait to see you all again!"
– Sarah Martin
Thank you for adding so much value and purpose to my 81 day journey. I truly feel like I am surrounded by “my people” in this community and feel grateful for the opportunity to participate in something that is truly making a difference, and much bigger than myself. Everyone in this world deserves love, someone they can confide in, and the confidence to believe in themselves, and I truly believe that is what National Angels is doing. It is much more than a non-profit- it is a movement- with a dedicated culture of love, support, and acceptance with open arms. The need for this is proven in the amount of chapters that have been established in just a few years, and I feel truly blessed that my path in life has led to, and joined with, this family. I look forward to continuing my support and advocacy for this organization however I can. Again, I truly just want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for all the work you do, thank you for allowing me to help, and thank you for all the kindness and support that you have shown me. I can’t wait to see you all again!"
– Sarah Martin