Dear Friends and Supporters,

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Brandon’s Forever Home is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established in 2014, located in downtown Hazleton, PA. It was created to raise awareness about the needs of children in foster care and their right to a stable, loving home. Co-founders, the Honorable Tarah Toohil, County Judge, and I, recognized a critical need in our community to support these children. Together, we founded Brandon’s Forever Home to provide essential services such as mentoring, a food pantry, clothing, and events, granting foster children experiences they might not otherwise have.

My husband Michael and I are parents to five children, including two adopted from foster care. Tarah Toohil, a close friend, encouraged us to consider adoption. Only two months after beginning the process, we welcomed our son, Michael Joseph, into our family. This experience transformed our lives. We later also opened our home to Brittany, a resilient young woman who had aged out of foster care without a permanent family. Brittany once shared, “Do you know what it’s like to know that if you die tomorrow, you wouldn’t mean anything to anyone?” Her words moved us profoundly. We reflected on why Michael received a loving home while Brittany had not. Through our work, we aspire to provide hope to families and connect them with children in foster care, many of whom have faced neglect, abuse, or abandonment. Our mission is to ensure these children are never the "forgotten ones."

The Toohil family fostered over 40 children, including Brandon, a boy they hoped to adopt. Unfortunately, restrictive child welfare laws at the time prevented this, and tragically, Brandon passed away after enduring years of severe abuse and neglect.

Brandon’s Forever Home works tirelessly to support children in the foster care system, so no child suffers the fate of Brittany or Brandon, but instead experiences the love and stability that children like Michael receive.

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Since our founding, we have made strides toward this mission. Our “End the Garbage Bag” campaign eliminated the use of garbage bags as luggage for the 400+ foster children in Luzerne County. Through our “Rest in Peace” Program, we provided a proper burial for a child who otherwise would have been left in county care. We have helped families in our community with food, clothing, and necessities. At Brandon’s Forever Home, children are welcomed and given the opportunity to select clothing, shoes, toiletries, and other essentials to help them feel confident and accepted, with the ultimate goal of connecting them to a permanent, loving family.



With gratitude,

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Lorine Ogurkis, Esquire
Co-Founder