There are over 10,000 children in North Carolina right now living in foster care. 480 more enter the system every single day across the United States. Many of them feel like no one sees them, no one is coming, and no one cares enough to even know their favorite color.Susanna Kavanaugh, founder of Least of These Carolinas, built a nonprofit to change that feeling — starting with one county in Gastonia and growing into a statewide mission that meets children exactly where they are.In this conversation, we cover:Why so many foster children feel alone — and what it costs them when no one shows upThe Bag of Hope program — personalized duffel bags sent to children the moment they enter care, with their name embroidered in their favorite colorHow LOTC serves over 1,000 foster children each Christmas through community sponsorshipsBridge Camp in Wilkes County — a summer camp just for kids in foster care, now in its 10th yearHow Susanna mobilized after Hurricane Helene to reach WNC families on horseback, in partnership with Greg Biffle and the Joey Logano FoundationAliyah's story — a former camper who arrived at Bridge Camp feeling like no one was listening. She's now an EMT studying at Western Carolina University.Foster children don't need pity. They need someone to show up — intentionally, consistently, and by name. That's exactly what Least of These Carolinas does.How You Can Help:Visit lotcarolinas.com to donate, sponsor a child for camp or Christmas, volunteer to pack bags, or simply reach out if you want to get involved in a way that fits you. Susanna's team will find a place for you.🌿 Stay Connected & Join the Work in Western North Carolina
Instagram:➡️ instagram.com/thesharondeckerTapestry Collaborative (Nonprofit):➡️ https://www.tapestrycollaborative.comWNC Recovery Resources & How to Help:➡️ https://wncrecovery.nc.govChapters:00:00 – Introduction: Meet Susanna Kavanaugh01:45 – Why Foster Children Often Feel Alone03:20 – The Numbers: 10,000 Kids in NC, 480 a Day Nationwide04:50 – The Bag of Hope: A Duffel Bag With Their Name On It07:10 – 12 Hours of Christmas: Serving 1,000+ Kids Every Year08:55 – Hurricane Helene: Boots on the Ground in Western NC11:00 – Horseback Deliveries, Greg Biffle & the Joey Logano Foundation13:15 – Bridge Camp: 10 Years of Changing Lives in Wilkes County15:00 – Aliyah's Story: When Showing Up Saves a Life16:30 – How You Can Get Involved With Least of These CarolinasKey Takeaways:Over 10,000 children in NC are currently in foster care480 children enter the foster care system every single day in the USLOTC serves 1,000+ foster children each Christmas seasonBridge Camp in Wilkes County is entering its 10th yearAfter Helene, LOTC coordinated formula deliveries on horseback and secured vehicles for displaced caregiversYou don't have to be a foster parent to step into a child's storylotcarolinas.com is where to start#FosterCare #LeastOfTheseCarolinas #WesternNorthCarolina #HurricaneHelene #WNCRecovery #FosterKids #BagOfHope #BridgeCamp #SharonDecker #CommunityImpact

I'll be honest — loading the dishwasher is one of my least favorite things to do.But a man who lived in the 1600s completely changed how I think about it.Brother Lawrence was a lay brother in a Carmelite monastery whose only job was to wash dishes. And yet he wrote that the noise and clutter of his kitchen felt no different from being on his knees at the altar. He called it Practicing the Presence of God — doing every small thing, for the love of God.Now when I load the dishwasher, I thank God for the person who used that cup. When I unload it in the morning, I thank Him for another day and the gift of health to do it.The question I keep coming back to:What if the little things aren't getting in the way of the vision — what if they ARE the way?We'll never reach the big things without faithfully tending to the small ones. Do it with love. Do it with thankfulness. Just like Brother Lawrence teaches.🌿 Share this with someone who needs the reminder that God is in the ordinary moments too.#Faith #FaithAndWork #PracticingThePresence #BrotherLawrence #DailyDevotion #WesternNorthCarolina #Encouragement #Leadership #AWordFromSharon

When Hurricane Helene's floodwaters rose 24 feet in Swannanoa, they stopped right at the driveway of Valley Hope Church—as if, Susanna says, God drew a line and said, "You'll go no further." What happened next is one of the most remarkable stories of faith, strategy, and community in all of Western North Carolina's recovery.I sit down with Susanna, Head of Helene Recovery at Valley Hope Church in Swannanoa—one of the hardest hit communities after the storm—to talk about what it actually looks like when the church shows up for its people. Not just in the first few days. For the long haul.In this conversation, we cover:How floodwaters stopped at the church's driveway—and what they did the moment it recededWhy they used only skilled volunteers for home repairs—and how that standard led to 170+ completed repairs$300,000 distributed to nearly 30 small businesses to keep their doors open2,000+ volunteers. 26,000+ hours. $780,000+ in donated labor—all mobilized through one small churchThe Better Together Coalition—and how partnering with Mercury One, World Vision & Operation Blessing makes it possible to rebuild a $250,000 home for just $20,00012 full home rebuilds currently underway—and how you can be part of finishing themRecovery isn't just about mucking and gutting. It's about getting families back into safe homes, keeping small businesses alive, and rebuilding the community fabric that makes a place worth returning to. Valley Hope Church—a small congregation given their building for $0 by a dwindling church that chose legacy over profit—has become a living example of what the body of Christ is designed to do: show up, stay, and serve.How You Can Help:Give financially or sign up as a skilled volunteer → ValleyHope.Church/HeleneJoin a Sunday service at 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. in Swannanoa (Spanish translation available at 11 a.m.)Share a meal at their community dinner every Monday night, 5:30–6:30 p.m.Pray for the team doing this work long after the headlines are gone.🌿 Stay Connected & Join the Work in Western North CarolinaInstagram:➡️ instagram.com/thesharondeckerTapestry Collaborative (Nonprofit):➡️ https://www.tapestrycollaborative.comValley Hope Church Helene Recovery:➡️ https://valleyhope.church/heleneWNC Recovery Resources & How to Help:➡️ https://wncrecovery.nc.govChapters:[00:00] - Introduction: Susanna & Valley Hope Church[01:45] - The Miracle of the Building: Given for $0[03:30] - Hurricane Helene Hits Swannanoa: 24 Feet of Water[05:50] - The Water Stopped at the Driveway[06:30] - Becoming a Safe Space: Food, Water & Community[08:00] - Finding the Gaps: Where People Were Falling Through[09:30] - 170+ Home Repairs with Skilled Volunteers Only[11:10] - $300K to Nearly 30 Small Businesses[13:00] - Why Recovery Requires Public, Private & Nonprofit Partnership[14:00] - The Better Together Coalition: Rebuilding for $20,000[17:30] - What the Body of Christ Is Supposed to Do[18:40] - How You Can Give, Volunteer & Show UpKey Takeaways:Valley Hope Church has completed 170+ home repairs since HeleneNearly $300,000 distributed to approximately 30 small businesses2,000+ volunteers contributed 26,000+ hours valued at over $780,000 in laborHomes that cost $250,000 to rebuild are being completed for just $20,000 through skilled volunteer partnerships12 complete home rebuilds currently underway through the Better Together CoalitionRecovery requires public, private, and nonprofit partnership—no single sector can carry it aloneSmall churches can do extraordinary things when led with strategy, heart, and collaboration