CONTENT WARNING: ADULT/DISTURBING THEMES — ABUSE & VIOLENCE

Welcome to this week’s episode of Fostering Change. Our host, Rob Scheer, sits down with an extraordinary guest — Baron Li, co-owner of Four Tiers Contracting and founder of the CKMD Army.

Baron’s journey is one of unimaginable pain, resilience, and redemption. A former foster youth who endured 17 placements and severe childhood abuse — including being burned with a clothing iron and cigarettes at just three years old — Baron later survived an attempted murder-for-hire plot that left him shot nine times. Yet, through it all, he transformed trauma into purpose.

Today, Baron is building homes and hope through Four Tiers Contracting, employing and mentoring aged-out foster youth, and expanding CKMD Army — a nationwide movement uniting the foster care community with a 50-state resource network.

In this powerful and emotional conversation, Rob and Baron discuss:

How a childhood marked by violence and instability shaped Baron’s mission to help others rebuild their lives

His incredible survival story: “I was shot nine times, left for dead — but I chose not to be a victim. I chose to live, to forgive, and to give back.”

How Four Tiers Contracting provides aged-out foster youth with steady employment, mentorship, and a pathway to independence

The vision behind CKMD Army (Can’t Keep Me Down) — a 50-state foster care resource network empowering youth, families, and advocates nationwide

Why Baron believes resilience is forged through service — and that “purpose is the only thing stronger than pain.”

Baron Li’s story is a testament to the human spirit — proof that even after the darkest moments, there is light. Trauma can shape us, but it never has to define who we become.

👉 Learn more about Baron Li and his work:

All Links: linktr.ee/baronbli

LinkedIn: CKMD Army

🎧 After you listen, please “like,” comment, and share the episode. Your support helps us reach more listeners and shine a light on vital conversations like this.

Fostering Change releases new episodes every Tuesday.

Questions, comments, or guest suggestions? Please email us at dthalberg@comfortcases.org.

Thank you for listening — and thank you for being a GOOD HUMAN.

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Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

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This week on Fostering Change, host Rob Scheer welcomes Tracey Heisler, Executive Director of CASA of Somerset, Hunterdon, and Warren Counties (CASA SHaW) in New Jersey.

CASA—Court Appointed Special Advocates—ensures that children in the child welfare system have a voice in the courtroom and access to the support they need to thrive.

With nearly two decades of leadership at CASA SHaW, Tracey shares:

💬 How CASA changes lives: “Kids with a CASA do better in school, get services faster, and have someone in their corner when everyone else changes.”

⚖️ The danger of funding cuts that could silence advocacy for vulnerable children.

🤝 The critical role of volunteers and how you can step up to be that one stable, consistent advocate.

💙 Tracey’s personal journey from foster parent to nonprofit leader—and what it’s taught her about resilience and compassion.

Her message is clear: Advocacy isn’t optional—it’s essential. And CASA’s fight today is every child’s fight.

👉 Learn more about CASA SHaW and how to get involved:

Website: www.casashaw.org

Facebook: facebook.com/CASASHaW

Instagram: instagram.com/casa_shaw

Email: info@casashaw.org

🎧 Like, comment, and share this episode to help us spread awareness and inspire change.

📅 New episodes of Fostering Change drop every Tuesday!

For questions or guest suggestions, email: dthalberg@comfortcases.org

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

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Welcome to a special Best of Edition of Fostering Change! Originally aired during National Foster Care Awareness Month, this powerful conversation is worth revisiting.

In this episode, host Rob Scheer sits down with the incredible Charell Star—author, speaker, and foster care advocate. Many first discovered Charell through her moving feature in Humans of New York. Now she returns to share wisdom from her brilliant new book, Trash Bag Tales and Other Stories from an Accidentally Happy Life.

Her story is raw, funny, and deeply empowering—proving that resilience, joy, and self-discovery can grow from even the hardest beginnings.

👉 In this conversation, Rob and Charell explore:

How humor and honesty can reshape the way the world sees foster care stories

The journey behind Trash Bag Tales and turning pain into empowerment

Why the award-winning documentary Feeling Wanted is used in child welfare training worldwide

What it means to move beyond survival and claim the life you deserve

✨ Learn more about Charell Star:

📖 Book: Trash Bag Tales and Other Stories from an Accidentally Happy Life → https://www.amazon.com/Trash-Bag-Tales-Other-Accidentally/dp/1646639741

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charellstar

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charellstar

📖 Humans of New York Feature: https://www.humansofnewyork.com/post/618907346047008768

🎧 If you’re new to Fostering Change or a long-time listener, don’t miss this inspiring episode!

Please like, comment, and share to help spread these stories of hope and dignity.

New episodes release every Tuesday—stay tuned and thank you for being a GOOD HUMAN. 💙

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

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Welcome to this week’s episode of Fostering Change, hosted by Rob Scheer. 💙

Today’s guest is Dr. Danisha Keating—author, speaker, and former foster youth whose journey from heartbreak to healing is nothing short of extraordinary. At just 16, CPS workers separated her from her eight siblings and handed her a trash bag with five minutes to pack her life. By 24, she became the guardian of her five younger siblings, choosing resilience and purpose over despair.

Dr. Keating is the bestselling author of Taking My Voice Back: Healing What Broke Me and From Foster to PhD. In this powerful conversation, she and Rob dive into:

✨ How to heal from trauma, shame, and blame

✨ The importance of protecting your story while still speaking your truth

✨ The systemic barriers youth in foster care face—including files that hold pieces of their own lives

✨ Why education became her lifeline and how she stepped boldly into her future

Her story is proof that no matter what you’ve lived through, you have the power to write the next chapter. As Dr. Keating reminds us: “When you’re in foster care, the courts and the files decide your story — not you. That’s why I had to learn how to take my voice back.”

👉 Learn more about Dr. Danisha Keating:

🌐 Website: danishakeating.com

📱 Instagram: @drdanishakeating

📘 Facebook: Danisha Keating

▶️ YouTube: The Dr. Danisha Keating Show

🎵 TikTok: @drdanishakeating

🎧 Don’t forget to like, comment, and share this episode to help us reach more listeners.

We’re back every Tuesday with new conversations on Fostering Change. For guest suggestions or feedback, please email us at dthalberg@comfortcases.org.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

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What started with one simple question—“What can I do with my old bras?”—turned into a global movement. 🌍

In this inspiring episode of Fostering Change, host Rob Scheer is joined by Dana Marlowe, founder of I Support the Girls and Accessibility Partners. Dana’s work provides dignity to marginalized women and youth through access to bras, new underwear, and menstrual hygiene products.

Together, Dana and Rob discuss:

✨ How to start a nonprofit and build strong partnerships with other grassroots organizations

✨ The importance of supporting youth and building confidence through dignity

✨ The powerful partnership between Comfort Cases and I Support the Girls

✨ ISTG’s upcoming 10-year anniversary in July 🎉

As a human rights advocate, Dana has dedicated her life to amplifying the voices of invisible populations while also making technology more inclusive for people with disabilities.

When she isn’t sorting hygiene products or striving for equity, you’ll find her cheering at her sons’ sports games, walking her Silver Lab, or even at early morning dance raves.

💙 Follow I Support the Girls:

Website: http://www.isupportthegirls.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SupportTheGirlsandWomen

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isupportthegirls/?hl=en

Twitter/X: https://x.com/i_support_girls?lang=en

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@isupportthegirls

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@isupportthegirls?lang=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/29214127/admin/dashboard/

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

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Today is International FASD Awareness Day, a day that deserves our full attention. On this powerful episode of Fostering Change, host Rob Scheer is joined by Patricia (Patti) Kasper, a Neurobehavioral Coach and Trainer who discovered she had FASD as an adult.

Patti’s story is one of resilience and advocacy. After learning about her diagnosis, she shifted her work to focus on the 15 million U.S. adults living with undiagnosed FASD, bringing awareness, education, and hope to those who may not even realize how deeply FASD affects their lives.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

✨ Patti’s personal journey of discovery and healing

✨ The hidden challenges of adults living with undiagnosed FASD

✨ How Rob’s own connection to FASD fuels Comfort Cases’ mission

✨ The importance of spreading awareness on International FASD Awareness Day

Patti is also the host of the podcast Living with FASD and author of Sip by Sip: Candid Conversation with Adults Living with FASD. You can find her book here: books.by/yourfasdcoach.

🔗 Connect with Patti Kasper:

Facebook: facebook.com/Patricia.Kasper.Your.FASD.Coach

Instagram: instagram.com/patriciakasperthefasdcoach

Threads: threads.com/patriciakasperthefasdcoach

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/patricia-kasper

Email: contact@patriciakasper.com

📢 After listening, please leave us a review—it helps us reach more people and continue these important conversations. Have guest suggestions or questions? Email our producer: dthalberg@comfortcases.org.

💙 Thank you for supporting Fostering Change. Together, we can bring dignity and hope to children and families everywhere.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

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Welcome to Season 7 of Fostering Change!

Believe it or not, this is our 243rd episode — and it’s all thanks to YOU and your support. Starting this season, new episodes will drop every Tuesday, just like you requested!

👉 We’d love your help: after watching/listening, please leave a review. It takes just a minute and makes a huge difference with the “mysterious algorithm,” helping us share our incredible guests with even more people.

🌟 Today’s Guest: Bob Dalton

We’re kicking off Season 7 with our friend and Comfort Cases supporter, Bob Dalton — founder of Sackcloth & Ashes, the company behind stunning Italian-made blankets. For every blanket sold, one is donated to a local shelter. Bob and his team have already given countless blankets to Comfort Cases, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

In this episode, Rob and Bob dive into:

Why community matters now more than ever

How Sackcloth & Ashes is transforming giving with a one-for-one model

Bob’s exciting new app LOCL, designed to reconnect us with our neighbors, groups, and events nearby

💡 More About Bob:

Bob Dalton is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and social designer on a mission to reclaim human connection in the digital age. Named a Forbes Changemaker and CNN Champion of Change, he’s donated hundreds of thousands of blankets through Sackcloth & Ashes and now, through LOCL, is building digital tools to help people connect locally.

📌 Learn More:

🌐 sackclothandashes.com

🌐 locl.com

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

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Welcome to our final Best of Summer episode of Fostering Change! 🌟 Next week kicks off Season 7 (premiering Tuesday, September 2) and—by popular demand—we’re back to WEEKLY episodes.

This week, Rob Scheer is joined by:

👩‍💼 Jennifer Perry – Co-Founder of FosterMore & Executive Director of Children’s Action Network

📚 Lara Love Hardin – FosterMorey Award Winner & New York Times bestselling author of The Many Lives of Mama Love (an Oprah Book Club pick!)

Lara opens up about her journey through addiction, incarceration, and the painful separation from her children—and how she rebuilt her life through resilience, recovery, and storytelling. Together, Rob, Jennifer, and Lara shine a light on the foster care system, the power of second chances, and the urgent need to support youth in care.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | wherever you get your podcasts!

💬 Share your thoughts in the comments—we’d love to hear from you!

📅 Don’t miss it: In honor of National Foster Care Awareness Month, new episodes will be released every Tuesday in May.

🌐 Learn more & support our mission: www.comfortcases.org

📌 More Information:

Children’s Action Network

FosterMore

📱 Follow & Connect:

Children’s Action Network: Instagram @childrensactionnetwork | X @childrensaction | Facebook Children’s Action Network

FosterMore: Instagram @foster_more | X @fostermore | Facebook FosterMore

Lara Love Hardin: Instagram @laralovehardin | Facebook Lara Love Hardin

📖 Get Lara’s book, The Many Lives of Mama Love, at your favorite bookstore.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.