Big House
2024 Internship
I chose The BigHouse Foundation for my philanthropy practicum I was inspired by their mission and could see the direct impact they had on foster families.
.png)
01
Big House
The BigHouse Foundation is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 2009 with the mission of positively impacting the foster care community. They aim to improve the lives of children in foster care by meeting their needs and supporting their foster families. The foundation also advocates for these families and educates the community about the challenges faced by children in the foster care system.
The organization was born from the personal experiences of its founder, Micah Melnick, who was inspired by her parents' involvement in foster care. Since its inception, BigHouse has grown to serve over 12,000 children in Alabama's foster care system through various programs and events. They rely on the support of the community and God's provision to continue their work of providing resources and support to foster families. They also have a vision for a new, larger facility that will allow them to expand their reach and enhance their services for the foster care community in East Alabama.
02
Boutique
BigHouse's main service is the boutique where foster families can "shop" for 10 clothing items per child every month. All items are hand curated by the BigHouse team members and are completely free for foster families.
03
New To Care
When children enter foster care in our county, BigHouse staff works with both case workers and foster parents to help get a New to Care bag to that child. These bags contain the items listed above to help restore dignity to the first 24-48 hours a child is in foster care. These items are donated by our local community and allow us to pull from a well stocked closet to pack each bag for the individual child.
04
Events
BigHouse hosts a variety of events for foster families to receive support.
-
Camp Agape: A weekend mini camp filled with games, adventures, and learning about faith, run by Auburn University students. It's free for foster and adoptive families, inviting children aged 5-12 for a weekend of fun and connection.
-
Glitz, Glam, and Gowns: A formal dress shopping event for teen girls in foster care, offering a red carpet experience for girls in grades 9-12 to get dresses for special events.
-
Statewide Swimsuit and Towel Drive: An annual collection drive for new swimsuits and towels for children in foster care, filling requests from social workers and embroidering each towel with the child's name.
-
Back to School Bash: A summer event for BigHouse families to jumpstart the school year with games and supplies provided by sponsors, helping kids and teens feel confident and prepared.
-
Family Beach Retreat: An annual beach retreat offering rest, relaxation, and fun for foster families, including subsidized costs and opportunities for sponsoring a child's trip.
-
Santa's Workshop: A Christmas event where families shop for gifts together, with parents choosing gifts for children and volunteers helping kids pick and wrap gifts for their family members, all items donated by the community.
05
impact
My experience at The BigHouse Foundation has taught me a lot about working in the nonprofit sector, the foster care system in general, and more about myself as well. I also have learned how important organizations like BigHouse are by seeing the first hand experiences of foster families, children, and social workers. It has been impactful to see how my contribution makes a direct impact on people’s lives and I am very grateful for this opportunity. I learned that I really enjoy nonprofit work and hope that I can continue to improve the lives of others.