We Don't Quit - We Pivot.

Let’s be honest—plans rarely unfold the way we imagine. Especially when the plan is being cooked up by a person with a whole lot of heart...and just enough tolerance for chaos to keep things interesting.

When we launched Foster SQUAD back in 2019, the mission was clear: support Iowa foster families. The “how,” though? That part wasn't as easy. That year, I met with Alysun Bulver, a student attorney from Drake University Law School. She was assigned to work with us as part of one of her classes. She had the "fun" task of helping turn Foster SQUAD into an official 501(c)(3). As part of that process, I had to create a brochure for her outlining what exactly we were going to do.

And wouldn’t you know it—that original brochure just made a reappearance.

Earlier this month, Alysun reached out after hearing about the work Foster SQUAD is doing today. She wanted to catch up and reconnect with the little nonprofit she helped launch. She mentioned she’d gone through her old notebooks and found that original brochure! I asked her to send it to me because I couldn't imagine what was on it.

Spoiler alert: what’s on that flyer is not what we’re doing today. Like…not even close.

But you know what? That’s not a bad thing. Seeing it again reminded me of something important: the need was always real—we just had to keep trying different ways to meet it. That’s what pivoting is all about. We’ve started programs that didn’t land, shifted gears when bigger gaps appeared, and reworked ideas more times than I can count. Some doors closed, others opened in the most unexpected ways. And every time something didn’t work? We didn’t quit. We just pivoted.

I shared a photo of that old brochure on social media recently. At first, I hesitated—I was pretty embarrassed by how different it looked from what Foster SQUAD has become. But instead of hiding the evolution, I decided to put it out there. Because here’s the truth: I’ve never had all the answers—but that didn’t stop me from starting.

But here’s my favorite part—people like Alysun believed in Foster SQUAD even before it made sense on paper. Before the programs, the care kits, or the Operation Santa magic, someone saw the heart behind the work and said, “Let’s do this.”

So, if you’re someone out there chasing a dream that looks nothing like you thought it would—keep going. It's okay if you have to change directions, scrap the original plan, or laugh at your old flyers. That’s not failure. That’s growth.

Thanks for being part of this wild, beautiful ride. Whether you’ve been with us since day one or you’re just joining the SQUAD now—we’re so glad you’re here. Let’s keep doing big things for kids and families in Iowa... even if the path there keeps surprising us.

We don't quit.

We pivot.

And we redesign brochures.

Check out our July Newsletter

2025.07 Newsletter.pdf

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