Our Mission
The Purple Project’s mission is to provide an online and offline support system and resource community that is devoted to enhancing and positively changing the quality of life, for current and former youth that are linked to the foster care community.
Our History
The Purple Project was founded in 2009, by former foster care alumni LaTasha C. Watts. LaTasha spent her entire life in the foster care system, only to exit that system at the age of 18. She would then enter into a life of instant homelessness, poverty, single parenting and a multitude of health issues. Through this journey LaTasha would discover that not only was she disconnected from society; she also had little to no resources to help her to become a stable, successful functioning adult. As a result it took LaTasha years to adjust to life on her own. Although she survived and found much success, she never forgot about the roads, that she had to travel to get there. Many years later she would come to the realization that she was not alone; there were many former foster care alumni that shared similar stories. She was saddened to learn that thousands children from around the county were still being released from foster care without: family or community connections, resources or income. It was at that moment that LaTasha vowed to make a difference by providing a community network and resource support system for current and former youth and adults that are linked to the foster care community. Therefore in 2009 The Purple Project was introduced.
The Origin of Our Name "The Purple Pants"
The Purple Project's unique name derives from a childhood story from the life of its Founder and Executive Director. When she was transitioning from one foster home to another, she became increasingly attached to a pair of purple pants. So much so that these pair of purple pants where worn several times, throughout the week and when they became too short she cleverly changed them into shorts. As a result she kept these pants the majority of her childhood. It would not be until many years later she would learn that children in foster care tend to hold on to things that they can control, the things that make them feel safe and most connected to. It was due to this discovery and her childhood memory of the purple pants, that she felt that the name was perfect.