With gratitude and love, Howard’s Heart is closing its doors.
Dear Champions and Teens,
The time has come to say goodbye.
After deep reflection and some truly tough conversations, we’ve made the difficult decision to close the doors of Howard’s Heart. This wasn’t a decision made lightly. Life, with all its beautiful and unexpected turns, has presented challenges we simply couldn’t ignore. Running a nonprofit is hard—but life is harder. Balancing the demands of full-time work, unforeseen personal events, and the relentless pace of 2025 has shown us that it’s time to prioritize our own well-being.
Howard’s Heart was one of the first local nonprofits to focus solely on teens in foster care, and we are proud to say we broke new ground. We set out with big dreams—to uplift and support teens in foster care—and we didn’t just meet those goals, we exceeded them. We’ve changed lives. The teens we’ve supported, the connections we’ve fostered, and the community we’ve built together have been nothing short of extraordinary.
Our work has created ripples far beyond what we ever anticipated. Even the smallest gestures—a gift, a kind word, a listening ear—have made monumental differences in the lives of our teens, and in our lives too.
To our donors, volunteers, champions, and supporters: you have been the heartbeat of this organization. Your unwavering support and love have fueled everything we’ve accomplished. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.
Going Forward: The Good Work Continues
While Howard’s Heart is closing, the mission is far from over. We are proud to see many other nonprofits stepping up, offering services that overlap with what we provided. We have worked alongside each of them as they have increased the services offered to teens, and we trust that they are ready to carry the torch. We want to be in control of our legacy—to exit gracefully, knowing we’re leaving on a high note. This work is in our hearts forever.
We have gifted most of our tangible goods and divided our remaining funds between three organizations serving Portland teens in foster care:
Project Lemonade
Funds will support either the Inspire Network, providing mentorship and support to teens in care, or the WISH program, which fulfills requests directly from youth.
Project 48
Howard’s Heart’s contribution will add a wishlist option to their Annual Holiday Drive and establish a continuing education scholarship fund within their LifeSkills program.
Parenting With Intent
Funds will continue the Special Requests program for youth engaged in their services.
Both Project 48 and Parenting With Intent have committed to creating donation options on their websites, allowing you to continue supporting the work we started. We encourage you to give to them as you would have given to us.
Final Reflections: Being the Village from 2017-2025
Howard’s Heart was one of the first nonprofits in this space, and we broke a lot of ground. We did much of what we set out to do: center teen voices, honor their requests, meet their needs in a non-transactional environment, and more.
We began by serving 90 youth at one branch of child welfare in 2017. By January 2025, our services had reached approximately 1,800 youth across four child welfare branches, the Oregon Youth Authority, Multnomah County DD services, CASA for Children, and community partners like Project Lemonade, Project 48, and Parenting With Intent.
With over 1,000 Champions joining us in giving to our youth and partnerships with over 200 community agencies—from fellow nonprofits like Bikes for Humanity to philanthropic giants like EPB&B, Pro-Tek Automotive, and Cochran Property Group—we distributed over $750,000 in goods and services, including more than 500 special requests and 5,500 holiday presents.
Our impact is best told through the voices of the teens we served:
“They have what I actually need, it’s like Christmas!” whispered young Black women at the Essentials shelves, reflecting how the program boosted self-worth and confidence.
“Thank you for making this Christmas actually worth it,” wrote one teen, while another, 17, asked for his first-ever teddy bear, showing how the Holiday Drive brought magic to kids who had long stopped believing.
A new college student celebrated brand-new dorm sheets, while an eighth grader carefully selected their own pencils and highlighters, illustrating how the Backpack Drive encouraged school engagement and success.
“I would have killed myself without my dog, and I was only able to keep him because of your help,” shared one young man, demonstrating the profound, life-saving impact of our Special Requests.
We Fostered Love
The community that formed around our youth was extraordinary. We are proud of the awareness we helped cultivate about youth in care—what they need and how their community can show up for them. We know this awareness will continue long after Howard’s Heart.
Our teens were most moved by knowing adults were truly listening. As one said, “You being here and listening to us is giving me hope. You’ve already made a difference.” We are forever grateful for every connection made and every life touched. While this chapter is closing, the story of Howard’s Heart will live on in the hearts and lives of everyone who was part of this journey.
Thank you immensely. We hope you’re as proud as we are of the role you played in Howard’s Heart’s growth and success. We are endlessly grateful for the lessons in generosity we learned from all of you—our Champions.
With heartfelt gratitude and love,
Amy, Jen, and the Howard's Heart Board: Camilla Muldrow, Julie Flint, Cheryl Meyers, Aaron Blaise Garber-Paul, and Paisley Green