Justin & Jon started their foster care journey only wanting to foster one child at a time. Shortly after taking their first placement, they learned that there was a non-verbal autistic child who needed a home and they rose to the challenge, purchased bunk beds, and took the child in their home.
Since becoming a foster caregiver, Rosemund Baptiste has been passionate about keeping siblings together and has fostered several sets of siblings and helped them to transition back home with family. To this day, she remains in contact with each child that has left her home and she offers support to the birth family.
As we're continuing to celebrate Foster Family Appreciation Week, we want to introduce you to the Newell family! When Brian and Danielle heard that there was a young sibling group of 3 that needed a home they quickly rose to the occasion by taking children outside of their normal age range to ensure that the siblings could remain together. They quickly obtained an extra bed and bought clothing and toys for the three siblings.
Meet the Hargrove family! Levi and Maria are passionate about caring for teens. They have helped many foster youth transition into adulthood and maintain contact with all of the teens that leave their home. Their teens know that they can always contact Levi and Maria for guidance and support and that their home is always open to them.
In the last ten[+] years, Heartland for Children has established strong community partnerships and effective programs that have positively impacted our tri-county area. Under their leadership, child abuse has decreased. This change has been a result of strong commitment to prevention and evidence based programs. Additionally, their focus on trauma focused care has made a tremendous impact on children and families that have experienced abuse, neglect, and out of home placements. Heartland for Children is the model of community based care for our state.
As a social worker who was involved in the transition to this model of care in our state, I fully support and endorse their continued work and leadership in Hardee, Highlands and Polk counties.
Mary Jo Plews - Former Executive Director, Healthy Start Coalition