2023 CFAAC Annual Report - Report - Page 22
Giving Hope: The Blue Ribbon Project Offers Foster
Children a Community
Brightly colored backpacks and clear bins of meticulously
organized clothing and supplies line the shelves at The
Blue Ribbon Project, located on the old Crownsville
Hospital campus. However, this space holds more than
clothing and necessities, it holds hope and a little bit of
normalcy for area foster children.
The Blue Ribbon Project (BRP) founder, Taylor Pyles,
could have had a very different life. As a victim of child
abuse, he was in foster care until he aged out. Witnessing
peers succumb to destructive behaviors during their
teenage years, Taylor chose a different path. As the
executive director of BRP, a nonprofit that supports
victims of child abuse and neglect, youth in foster care,
and adult survivors of child abuse, Taylor has helped
thousands of children and adults over the past 12 years.
Initially, Taylor established BRP as a website to support
adult survivors of abuse. However, after reflecting
on his own experience of being sent to foster homes
with just the clothes on his back, he felt compelled to
contribute in a more tangible way. While working as an
Annapolis Police Department Detective with the Criminal
Investigations Division, Taylor began assembling
backpacks containing essential items tailored to the
recipients’ age and gender, including toiletries, clothing,
and books at his home. He stored them wherever he
could, including a spare bedroom. These backpacks were
then distributed to the children, ages one month-18
years, who were in the foster care system. Since retired,
Taylor now volunteers full-time at BRP and during their
last fiscal year, more than 600 children received these
“Backpacks of Love.”
Since its inception, the organization has grown,
encompassing not only Anne Arundel County but also
13 other Maryland counties as well as Baltimore city. It
is now working to expand to two other counties on the
Eastern Shore. “We went from backpacks in a bedroom
to a 5,000 square foot building,” said Taylor, reflecting
on BRP’s growth. “It’s not what I expected to happen; you
kind of just hang on and go for the ride.”
The backpacks represent only a fraction of the
organization’s broader community programs. BRP
programs also include many training courses
including Aging Up…Not Out, a life-skills
program for older foster kids; Celebrations
Club, a program to celebrate foster children’s
birthdays and other special events; and
22 | 2023 Annual Report
Mirah’s Closet, a place where foster children and parents
can “shop free” for essential items such as clothing.
Thanks to CFAAC grants, Mirah’s Closet has tripled in size
over the past three years. “The most recent CFAAC grant
allowed us to double the infrastructure, enabling us to get
more storage space and carry more stuff, which allows us
to better serve the children,” said Taylor.
Amidst the dedicated efforts of and programs at BRP,
members of a local quilting club passionately craft dozens
of quilts each month. These meticulously made quilts
serve as more than just blankets; they often provide
solace for children navigating the upheaval of being
removed from their abusive homes, often in the middle
of the night.
“We’ve grown so much and the volunteers, community,
and CFAAC have helped in so many ways,” said Taylor,
who noted that the BRP is an all-volunteer organization.
“We just couldn’t do what we do without our volunteers.”
BRP’s growth stirred thoughts about the future and the
foster children who continue to come through the system,
and that’s the main reason why Taylor established The
Blue Ribbon Project Fund, a Designated Fund at CFAAC.
With the help of donors, The Blue Ribbon Project intends
to grow it into a permanent Endowment Fund to create the
kind of lasting impact that is so important to their mission.
“I want to make sure Blue Ribbon stays
around even when I’m gone,” Taylor said. “I
want to continue to grow it with CFAAC; I look
at it as a partnership.”
And to other nonprofits who are thinking about
opening an endowment through CFAAC, Taylor
said, “Definitely go for it—open a fund; you will see
the growth and who knows what a couple years will
bring when it comes to donations.”
Support The Blue Ribbon Project Fund at
cfaac.org/BlueRibbonProject.
