Deanna Moore has a passion for helping children.

Moore is the president and founder of the I Think I Am Foundation, which she started in 2008 to help all children but especially those who have been given up for adoption or placed in foster care.

Moore comes by her passion naturally. She lived in foster care for a majority of her young life.

“There are mental challenges when you don’t know who your biological mother and father are,” Moore said. “Some adopted children don’t care, but others struggle.”

Moore said one of those struggles is low self-esteem.

“There is a feeling of separation even if you are adopted into a great family like I was,” she said. “As a foster child, there is the instability of having people in your life temporarily and never really having a place to call home.”

Moore’s foundation was started based on her belief that despite people’s beginnings, they can control their own life.

“You are what you think,” said Moore. “Hold on to your goals, your dreams and continue to have positive thoughts regardless of your environment. That will weigh heavily on your success in life.

“You can’t control where a judge places you or how you are treated, but you can control your own response.”

Through the I Think I Am Foundation, Moore has paired up with other organizations to offer support and encouragement to children, focusing on the Sewell Park area of Warner Robins.

Moore organized a Sports Mom Tour that included mothers of professional athletes speaking with children and parents. Moore’s son Kyle Moore plays for the Buffalo Bills.

“We want to consistently bring about a change in the area. We are not recreating the wheel, so we are working with programs that are already in place to match them up with the people that need them.”

Moore and her foundation have planned a Back to School Bash to be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at Sewell Park, 116 Wallace Drive, Warner Robins. The free event will have activities for parents and children. Along with the activities, there will be free food, books, school supplies and clothing.

“We are targeting this area, but everyone is invited,” said Moore

Moore said she has been overwhelmed by the support of the community and donations of food items from restaurants like Chick-fil-A.

“People’s hearts are open, and I think they are grabbing hold of the vision of what we are doing and where we are going.”

Contact Alline Kent at 396-2467 or allinekent@cox.net.