Spreading Hope and Help One Child at a Time: Because One Matters

Out of tragedy in her own life, Andrea Barclay found a new calling. 

In 1990, Andrea lost her four-month-old daughter to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). After this painful loss, she still had a strong desire to care for children and be a mom.

“I started feeling like I wanted to adopt out of foster care, and to be honest, I knew nothing about foster care before then. I just had the gut feeling that I wanted to do it,” Andrea shared. 

As she worked through the long approval process, Andrea realized the timing wasn’t right to open her own home even though the desire to serve children in need remained.

20 years later, while sitting in church, Andrea felt the call to reconsider her decision to step away from foster care and adoption. Instead of opening her own home to children in need, Andrea thought God was pointing her in a different direction.

“[Because One Matters] started in 2015 with a really simple calling: to make sure children and young adults impacted by foster care know that they matter.”

To support children in foster and kinship care, children who have been adopted and young adults who have aged out of care, Because One Matters runs a clothing boutique, organizes life skills and leadership programs for teenagers and hosts annual events like its Back-to-School Extravaganza.

“We have games, arts and crafts, dancing, a bounce house and so many more things to entertain kids and their families,” she said. 

The Extravaganza also features different stations for kids and their families to shop for school supplies, allowing children to mark needed items off their back-to-school list and select their favorite colors, patterns and styles.

“We do not pre-pack the book bags because we want to give them dignity and identity,” Andrea explained.

During the holiday season, Because One Matters hosts a Christmas party and partners with local donors to grant Christmas wishes for children impacted by foster care. They also take special care of young adults who have aged out of foster care. 

“We have a chef who provides the ingredients, and she cooks Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. Then we have volunteers deliver the meals to these young adults at their own apartments.”

Through their many outreach opportunities, Andrea hopes to “build confidence and give children hope for their future.”

She has seen firsthand how even the smallest acts of kindness encourage dignity and hope in the children it serves. 

“We had one young lady come to our clothing boutique with her case manager,” Andrea recalls. “When she finished shopping, she asked, ‘Is there somewhere that I could go change? I’ve been wearing the same outfit for the last five days.’”

Armed with a new outfit and new toiletries, she went to the restroom to try on the clothes.

“When she came out, she looked like a completely different person. It looked like a 50-pound weight was taken off her back,” Andrea shared. “This is the power of giving. It’s not just clothes or soap. It’s dignity, confidence and hope.”

In 2026, Andrea hopes to launch a new initiative to support the growing number of teens that Because One Matters is serving. 

For the last few years, several foster parents have shared with her the need for training for teens aging out of foster care. When she approached DFCS (The Georgia Division of Family & Children Services) about the problem, they confirmed it was a critical need for these teenagers.

This confirmation inspired Andrea and her team to develop the Weekend Life Skills Camp. 

Designed for boys and girls aging out of care, this camp will equip them with the tools they need for success after they turn 18. 

“We’ll meet one Saturday a month, and they’ll learn skills like money management, doing laundry, interviewing for a job, saving money and preparing for taxes,” Andrea explained. “If they want to go to college, we’ll help them with that. If they want to join the workforce, we’ll help them with that too.”

Instead of just teaching a skill like cooking, the camp will teach kids every step they need to master before enjoying their own meal. 

“We’ll give them a budget for lunch, ask them to make their grocery list, go grocery shopping and stay on or under budget. Then a chef will teach them how to cook their own meal.”

Through each weekend camp, Andrea hopes every camper will be equipped with the tools and skills to “see what’s possible for their future.”

But before they can launch the camp, Because One Matters is looking for partners to help them raise money to cover it.

“The cost of this camp is $21,000 per year, and our fundraising goal is to have two years covered before we start in January,” she shared.

Thanks to generous donors, Because One Matters has already raised $21,000, but to meet its goal of raising $42,000 to cover the first two years, Andrea hopes partners like the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia and its fundholders will spread the word about Because One Matters.

Andrea has known about the Foundation since founding her organization in 2015, but last year, another close friend and community leader recommended that Andrea consider becoming a fundholder.

“For us, [opening our fund] was about sustainability. We truly believe we do good work right now, but I want to make sure we’ll be here ten years from now and twenty years from now,” she said.

“It’s also a good way to connect fundholders with nonprofits and bring more awareness to the nonprofit.”

As Because One Matters looks forward to expanding its services and supporting more children affected by foster care, Andrea is excited to do it alongside volunteers, donors and partners. 

“I want everyone to know whether they’re sharing our story, donating or volunteering, they’re helping us create stability and helping us show up for kids and young adults,” Andrea said.

“The needs in foster care are always changing, but the one thing that shouldn’t change is our ability to meet them.”
To learn more about Because One Matters and support its Weekend Life Skills Camp, click here!