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Coming Soon: A Re-Envisioned Christmas Celebration

Christmas Celebration Dec. 1
Wichita Marriott

Feat. Tori Hope Peterson
Tickets Coming Soon

Youth Horizons now has a venue for its re-envisioned Christmas Celebration: the 25th annual event will be held Dec. 1 at Wichita Marriott, a full-service hotel located on the east side of Wichita. The event will include a Christian holiday theme, a Youth Horizons update, musical guests and dinner. The keynote speaker, as announced in August, will be Tori Hope Petersen.

Petersen, who was featured at the 2022 Global Leadership Summit, is the bestselling author of Fostered and a sought-out national speaker. She inspires audiences to be resilient, suffer well, and change the world with what they have, right where they are, by loving the people in front of them. Tori is a leading advocate in foster care, featured on Good Morning America, ChristianBroadcasting Network, Christianity Today, TEDx and Essence, sharing her story about being a former foster youth and overcoming adversity to serve others. Tori has equipped and empowered countless churches, organizations, and people to serve the underserved. She also founded the Beloved Initiative, a nonprofit wherein community people learn how to become professional lovers of people.

Tori’s remarkable journey to a healthy life reflects the values of YouthHorizons and the hope we have for youth we serve in mentoring and residential foster care. Tori is a married mother of three: a four-year old boy,a two-year-old girl, and a young adult adopted son. She is also raising her biological sister. In 2022, she won the Mrs. Universe pageant. Tori is also a former standout track athlete, the sport that led to a full-ride scholarship to Hillsdale College. The sport also led her to her high school track coach, Scott Wichman, who became a father-figure and made her part of his family.

“When God is part of the story, ‘Chances’ aren’t the dictator anymore. Miracles are,” Tori wrote in her memoir, Fostered.

Youth Horizons President and CEO Robert Garner shared that “Tori is an articulate and compelling advocate for foster care, mentoring and community collaboration on matters serving at-risk youth.” In fact, she is going to meet with foster care youth in the Wichita area in advance of the 25th anniversary event. Please stay on the lookout for emails, social media posts and other updates about the event. Information regarding tickets for the event will be shared later.

Fostered gives readers a look into the lives of foster children while testifying to how God’s love worked in her and through her own life. Tori grew up in the foster care system, a bi-racial child in what she described as a confusing and volatile world. Growing up partly with a single mother and living in 12 different foster homes, she struggled in many ways during her youth. And yet, Tori overcame her challenges, or, as Tori would say, Christ helped her overcome her challenges. She says, Jesus made a way for her to discover profound hope, deep faith, renewed purpose, and a loving family.