Cindy Tilley grew up in foster care. Now, she’s helping those that are aging out of the state’s care through her nonprofit, Forgotten Angels.
Tilley was placed in the foster care system in fourth grade. When she aged out, she learned what it is like to not have a family and have to figure things out on her own. She doesn’t want other kids to know what that feels like.
“I want to make sure that Forgotten Angels doesn’t fail them,” said Tilley, the group’s founder.
At the end of October, the organization will host its 10-year anniversary celebration, including a campout with guests, such as Sheriff Chad Chronister, food influencer Joel Hansen and The Bone’s Mike Calta.
The campout will also be a fundraiser for the organization so Tilley and her team can keep helping foster kids.
“We get calls from schools all the time with kids that are living in their cars and have nowhere to go at night,” Tilley said. “So, those are our at-risk kids. So, for us, it’s just making sure that these kids have a chance in life where their parents have failed them.”
She said people are coming from around the world to support the event, including campers from Denmark, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Some of the celebrity guests are those who have been longtime supporters of the organization.
Tilley said Chronister will be attending because many of the kids who age out of foster care often end up in Chronister’s jails and detention centers. If they can find a home at Forgotten Angels, she hopes they will stay out of trouble.
Bert’s Barracuda Harley-Davidson in Clearwater is also sponsoring the celebration and has donated motorcycles for Tilley’s team to raffle off in the past.
“The motorcycle community has been very supportive,” Tilley said. “A lot of the people we find do ride in different riding groups. A lot of them have come from different walks of life.”
She said it takes a lot of love and support to help the children that age out of foster care.
“These kids belong,” Tilley said. “They’re not someone you should be looking over. They shouldn’t be forgotten.”
The 10th anniversary celebration and campout will be held from Thursday to Sunday, October 23-26. Tickets for the event cost $125. Day passes are $50.
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