50 People for POETIC

As co-founder of POETIC, I've seen firsthand what happens when young people get the right support at the right time. Since our founding, POETIC has worked with more than 1,000 young people, many of whom have experienced abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and involvement with the juvenile justice system.

What I've learned again and again is that a young person's past does not determine what comes next. That belief is at the heart of POETIC.

For my North Texas Giving Day fundraiser, I have a simple goal: 50 people giving $10. I want 50 more people to know about POETIC and become part of this work.

We built POETIC because young people with complex trauma too often have to navigate disconnected systems to get help. At POETIC, we bring those supports together: licensed clinicians providing evidence-based therapy and art therapy, educational advocacy, case management, and opportunities to develop real-world skills and earn income. Our clinicians are also available 24/7, because some of the moments when support matters most happen outside of an appointment.

What makes POETIC most special to me isn't any one program. It's watching a young person recognize her own strengths, reconnect with school, earn her first paycheck, or learn there are adults who will keep showing up for her. It's watching her go on to graduate, attend college, find employment, or simply make a different choice at a critical moment.

Those moments matter.

So this North Texas Giving Day, I'm asking 50 people to join me: give $10, learn a little more about POETIC, and share our work with someone who may not know us yet. If you feel moved to give more, please do.

Fifty people who know our story can carry it further than any single gift.

I hope you'll be one of them.

Thank you for believing in our youth and for joining us in this work.

HaeSung Han