Katie Horr has been on staff at I Pour Life as a LifeCoach and now as a LifeCoach lead. She has been instrumental in creating a welcoming and safe environment at I Pour Life. Katie shares why she began working at I Pour Life and how the youth she has coached have impacted her life.
“My purpose is grounded in helping those in need. I accomplish this by giving a listening ear, my time, financial aid, or services to my community. My talents are most utilized when I help those who need to be heard and seen. I am constantly searching for ways to help those around me reach new heights, and these things bring me endless joy. Knowing that I can lift someone else’s spirit blesses my senses beyond measure.
When I started coaching at I Pour Life 2 years ago, I was passionate about getting youth to reach adulthood successfully. The youth I began to coach quickly taught me there is much more to their growth than just reaching adulthood.
I spent many years in ministry, inspiring and encouraging people to remain hopeful. During this time, two girls stood out from the others and changed my heart’s direction.
These two girls, in particular, were hard to connect with. Later I learned that they were struggling through the foster system. After some time, I reached them through consistency and unconditional love. I discovered that they wanted to make connections, desired someone to see their value, and were genuine in their love for others. My relationship with them compelled me to seek a better fit for many other youths struggling in the same position. I knew there had to be organizations that shared my passion for this demographic of youth. That is when I discovered I Pour Life.
I started at I Pour Life with the expectation that I would be able to solve all of their problems and positive results would come instantly. I have been blessed with an empathetic heart, but at times, that can get in the way me allowing the youth to do things themselves. From this, I learned that there must be a balance between teaching and releasing. Maintaining trust with youth to reach their goals remains one of the more valuable lessons I received at I Pour Life.
One story, particularly, stuck out to me as inspirational and uplifting. The youth I was coaching suffered from low self-esteem due to her biological parents abandoning her. Doubts had plagued her sense of value, and those around her took full advantage of her vulnerable position. She was afflicted by anxiety and depression.
Once I started coaching her, she discovered that she did not have to be treated how she was. She was able to build essential boundaries that stand today. As we navigated through her battle with anxiety and depression, she continued to seek her future with resilience. She currently has her CNA license and is working full-time in healthcare. One of her biggest dreams is to gain her Criminal justice degree, and she is enrolled at OTC to complete this dream.
As you can see, coaching youth has given me tears of joy since I started working at I Pour Life. If this had not been the direction I’d taken, I could not imagine where else I would be. From the first youth I coached and the goals they reached to the LifeCoaches I know get to mentor, I Pour Life has and continues to provide life lessons for everyone involved.”
You can support our staff, like Katie, by donating here.
