Providing Hope 

Lutheran Family Services helps kids — especially those living in foster care — who have been traumatized and emotionally battered. "Lutheran Family Services is a faith-based agency that walks with the vulnerable in the areas of foster care and adoption. These are children who have been battered, bruised and emotionally scarred,” says Doyle Lott, director of community relations and special events for the organization. The organization offers a Child Enrichment Fund but it was depleted, and they were not able to provide the children with extras like music, drama and sports. Their fate changed four years ago, when the Dr. Phil Foundation gave the organization a grant. With the money, they were able to help 109 children get involved in special events, music, drama and sports. Doyle appeared on the Dr. Phil episode "Against All Odds" to report how The Foundation's donation is bettering the lives of children.

Gabriel is a young boy who has benefited from the grant. He suffers from Epidermolysis Bullosa and is missing the genes that bond his skin layers together. He has to be bandaged from head to toe because his skin blisters and will just fall off. “With this music therapy, it just helps him to be able to do things like normal kids. It brings out his personality and his spirit,” says his foster mother.

Tania is another child who has flourished with music therapy. She was one pound, five ounces when she was born and had a traumatic brain injury. She was blind and told she would never be able to talk and would probably never walk. “When Dr. Phil gave the money, the first thing I thought of was music therapy for Tania, how wonderful it would be for her,” says her adoptive mother. “Tania said her first word in music therapy at 3 and 1/2 years old. It brought tears to my eyes. Today, she can walk and run. She’s doing all the things that everyone told us that she would never do.”

The donation has also provided children with access to sports.  

"It's amazing how many kids were touched by our original grant to Lutheran Family Services," Dr. Phil says. "They know how to put the money to good use, and we believe in the work they're doing." On behalf of The Dr. Phil Foundation, he gives Lutheran Family Services of another grant.

Watch Dr. Phil and Robin discuss Lutheran Family Services!