Welcome to the Today is the Day Changemakers Podcast, episode 11,The Bags We Carry Really Do Matter'. This episode is part of the Inspire Series.
For this interview I have a fabulous guest co-host joining me. Dennis Budinich, the Chief Culture Officer at Investors Bank. If you have not listened to my one on one interview with Dennis, check out episode 10.
Together, Dennis and I interview Rob Scheer. Rob has many accomplishments and titles, however, he says right at the beginning of this interview that his favorite one is being called Dad! Rob, is the Founder of , Comfort Cases, author of A Forever Family: Fostering Change One Child at a Time, host of the podcast Fostering Change, a TEDx speaker, CNN Hero, and just an incredible human. Rob has appeared on The Ellen Show, The Today Show, multiple news outlets, TV shows, and podcasts sharing his story and the amazing work he is doing to help foster children through Comfort Cases.
Rob's journey has not been an easy one, but he figured out a way to turn all the pain and darkness into light and inspiration. From having a gun held to his head, being punched in his bladder for years, to having cigarettes put out on his bare skin. Rob endured abuse from his father that no child should ever hold in their memory. Then, the foster care system took over and from house to house he carried a trash bag filled with what little belongings he possessed. Yes, that is how foster children move around with all of their belongings in trash bags! At the age of 18 his foster parents asked him to leave. Here he was a senior in high school and homeless. No one in the entire community realized that one of their own was living on the streets. "The community had failed him.", as Rob says. In his senior year Rob had an incredible teacher who believed him and provided him with an act of kindness that he will never forget.
In Rob's 30's he had found some success professionally, but he was dulling the internal pain that he was continuing to experience from his childhood by taking drugs and was struggling with drug addiction. During that time he tried to commit suicide four times. After getting out of rehab the last time, Rob visited his mother's grave and forgave his parents for all they did, not to free them, but to free himself and take his power back.
In Rob's book, A Forever Family: Fostering Change One Child at a Time you can read about his incredible journey including how he met his husband, Reece and how together they adopted five children.
When their children arrived to their home from the foster care system, they were carrying trash bags with their belongings inside. Rob, could not believe that this was still a common practice. At this point Rob had really moved up the corporate ladder and was doing very well for himself. However, he decided it was time to change the way these children traveled. That they needed to feel that they are being thought about and that someone somewhere cares about them. That is how Comfort Cases was born. Children in the system receive a piece of luggage filled with toiletries, new pajamas with tags, a stuffed animal, a blanket, and depending upon their age, a journal with pens and pencils, or a coloring book and crayons.
Be a good human. This is something that Rob says many times through this podcast. It is a simple mantra. You can find Be a Good Human products on Comfort Cases website. To learn more about Comfort Cases' mission or to purchase Rob's book visit to www.comfortcases.org. The book is also available on Amazon. To learn more about Rob visit www.scheerfocus.com.
On the next episode of Today is the Day Changemakers, I welcome Thomas Villane, President and Ann Marie Baker, Vice President of Design 446. This organization has found unique ways to help the non-profits in their community.