February often brings conversations about love — cards exchanged, flowers delivered, small gestures meant to remind people they are seen and valued.

At Project Nic, we think about love a little differently.

Love, as we see it, is not loud or fleeting. It shows up quietly and consistently, long after the moment has passed.

It looks like children waking up each morning knowing they will be fed.
It looks like caregivers who return day after day.
It looks like classrooms where learning continues, even when life outside the shelter has been uncertain.

This kind of love doesn’t arrive wrapped in ribbon. It arrives in routine.

For the children in our shelters, love is found in stability — in predictable schedules, safe places to sleep, and adults who keep their promises. It’s the reassurance that care will still be there tomorrow, and the day after that.

This is the love that allows healing to begin.

It’s also the kind of love made possible by a community that chooses commitment over convenience. When supporters give, pray, show up, and stay engaged, they help create an environment where children are free to grow.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, we’re reminded that love isn’t only something we feel. It’s something we practice.

And when love is practiced with consistency, children are given the greatest gift of all: the space to hope.