For the past decade, the Bass family has called The Lakes of Blaine home. They moved to the community in 2013, building one of the last homes on their street. Living here has been a blessing—not only because of the parks, walking trails, and beach—but also due to the deep connections they’ve formed with neighbors. “There’s something special about knowing each other by name and being part of such a family-focused, supportive community,” says Kimberly Bass.

It’s this sense of family that led Kimberly to join The Reel Hope Project, where she serves as Executive Assistant and Office Manager. The Reel Hope Project’s mission is simple: “A forever family for EVERY child.” The organization creates professional, two-minute profile videos—called "reels"—for youth in foster care, free of charge to social workers and adoption agencies. These videos help children find adoptive families by providing a glimpse into their lives.

On an average day in Minnesota, there are around 10,000 children in foster care. About 1,000 of those children can no longer return home and face two potential futures: aging out of the system or finding an adoptive family. The Reel Hope Project is the only organization of its kind in Minnesota, traveling throughout the state to reach waiting kids. Thanks to generous donors, reels are provided at no cost to the child’s team, which helps ease the process of finding a forever family.

“Our vision is to mobilize the Christian faith community to step into adoption, foster care, and prevention,” explains Kimberly. “We serve as a bridge between Church and State, partnering broadly to end the wait for youth needing families.” The organization not only focuses on finding families for children but also on upstream initiatives, such as supporting birth families and foster families through outreach and education. Their goal is to prevent children from entering the system in the first place, while ensuring that those in foster care find loving homes.

Kimberly’s own family has fully embraced the mission. Her husband Jim and their daughters Sophia and Sadie actively support The Reel Hope Project, particularly during the annual fundraiser, Night at the Oscars. This red-carpet event is the organization’s major source of funding, raising money and awareness about the foster care crisis. The Bass family also shares the profiles of children waiting for families on social media, expanding the organization’s reach.

The need for family-centered solutions is critical. Around 20% of youth who age out of foster care experience homelessness between the ages of 17-19, and that number rises to 29% by age 21. Without the stability of a family, these young people are more likely to face unemployment, incarceration, and trafficking. In fact, over 60% of child trafficking victims have spent time in foster care, and approximately 43% of youth who age out are unemployed by age 21. Beyond the personal cost to these youth, the financial burden on society is immense, with each child who ages out without a family costing taxpayers an average of $300,000.

The Reel Hope Project has created reels for over 500 children, and more than half of those kids have since been matched with or adopted into a forever family. Kimberly personally manages inquiries from prospective adoptive families. “It’s incredibly rewarding when a family reaches out after seeing a reel, knowing that it led to a child finding their home,” she shares.

Although direct volunteer opportunities are limited due to the privacy of children in foster care, there are still many ways to get involved. Kimberly encourages community members to consider adoption, support foster families, or donate to help The Reel Hope Project continue creating videos and providing essential resources. She also invites people to spread awareness by sharing the organization’s work on social media or by word of mouth.

The Reel Hope Project believes that every child deserves a loving, permanent home. With the continued support of the community, they can keep making a difference in the lives of children waiting for their forever families.

To learn more or get involved, visit The Reel Hope Project online and check out the MN Waiting Kids page.

W: thereelhopeproject.org

P: (612)-888-0494

A: 718 N Washington Ave STE 401

    Minneapolis, MN 55401

F: facebook.com/thereelhopeproject

IG: thereelhopeproject