Where to start...

It’s been a while since I’ve written one of these updates, and to be honest, it wasn’t because I didn’t want to. It’s because life hit hard. The past three months have been filled with moments that tested my patience, my confidence, and my faith in what I’m building here with Room To Care.

If you’ve been following along, you’ve probably noticed the momentum seemed to slow down. Things got quiet. The truth is, that silence came from a mix of exhaustion and survival. I lost my job earlier this summer, and that role had been the main source of income fueling everything behind the scenes. The filming, the research, the website, the outreach. All of it. Losing that stability was like having the rug pulled out from under me.

Since then, the job market has been… brutal. I’ve had interviews that went through three or four rounds only to end in ghosting. Other opportunities that looked promising were suddenly “put on hold” as the U.S. market continued to decline. It’s been frustrating, draining, and at times, deeply discouraging. I wish I could say I handled it all with perfect grace, but the truth is, the anxiety and depression that came with that uncertainty were real. There were days when it was hard to even open my computer, let alone focus on the mission I’ve poured my heart into.

But here’s the thing. I still believe in Room To Care. And I still believe in Through Their Eyes. That belief didn’t go away, even on the hardest days. It just needed time to breathe again.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve started meeting with people who remind me why this work matters. People who still see the same potential I saw when this journey began. That spark of hope, that quiet sense of “maybe we can still do this,” has slowly come back to life. One of those people is my cousin, who has spent her career working in nonprofits, advocating for those who often have no one fighting for them. She has been helping me rediscover the pathways forward, especially when it comes to funding and building a stronger foundation for the organization.

Because of that, I’m taking the next big step. Room To Care LLC is officially converting into a fully recognized nonprofit organization. This has always been the goal, but now it’s finally happening. It’s time for Room To Care to grow beyond me, and become something that belongs to a community of people who care just as deeply.

To do that, I need help.

We’re forming our first official Board of Directors, and we need to fill two key roles in order to file: Secretary and Treasurer. These aren’t just titles. They’re positions of trust, guidance, and accountability that will help shape what Room To Care becomes.

Beyond that, I’m also building an Advisory Board — a group of compassionate, experienced individuals who can help guide us through this process, open doors, and connect us to others who believe in what we’re doing. Whether your experience is in nonprofits, education, storytelling, social work, or simply being a passionate advocate for change, I’d love to hear from you.

If you know someone who might be a good fit for either the Board of Directors or the Advisory Board, please reach out. Send a message to info@RoomToCare.com. Make an introduction. Share this post. Every bit of support helps us find the right people to lead Room To Care into its next chapter.

We may have fallen off track these past few months, but we are not giving up. The mission still stands. The vision still matters. Through Their Eyes will happen, and Room To Care will continue creating spaces for truth, empathy, and change.

This is just the next chapter. One that starts with honesty, community, and the reminder that sometimes progress looks like standing back up after a long fall.

Thank you to everyone who’s continued to believe in this work, even in the quiet moments. We’re finding our way back, one step at a time.

—
Devon Burch
Founder & Executive Director
Room To Care