Kelly Easter wanted to help. Like many Americans, she watched the news in 2020 in dismay at the conditions awaiting unaccompanied migrant children at the U.S.-Mexico border. Easter, a 47-year-old realtor, lives alone in her two bedroom apartment in Nashville, Tenn. “I have the resources. I thought, ‘Why not? Let me help,’” she tells TIME.

In her research, Easter came across the Unaccompanied Children Program, a program through which the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) places migrant children into temporary foster care until they can be united with vetted sponsors in the United States. Easter says she asked HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement how to get involved and was directed to Bethany Christian Services, a faith-based nonprofit that runs the arm of the program in her area. Easter says she first contacted Bethany in September 2020, and was encouraged to apply.