“Give Them A Chance”

“I think that people are afraid to work with teens, but we need to give them a chance.” Holly said.

Holly has a soft spot in her heart for the older foster youth. She knows firsthand from years of being a social worker, and understands the struggles of finding good foster families. “Even just the need for respite (e.g., not full-time foster care) would give hope to many of the kids. I know that individual people working with kids CAN change their lives.” Holly explained.

When asked why she does what she does Holly said, “I wish that these kids had more consistency in their lives. I am glad that there are policies, such as prudent parent, that allow children in the foster system to have the same opportunities and experiences as other kids do.”

Holly chose to be a foster parent because of her own experiences growing up. She helped take care of her own siblings and understands that a little help can go a long way. “I get where some of these kids are coming from. I know how easy it is for ‘life’ to put kids in unforeseen situations they did not ask for and I just want to help get their needs met.”

Holly is very grateful to Families Helping Families which has helped with the funding for math tutors. She said, “By getting caught up in math, it helped build self-confidence” for her kids. Holly feels that she and the kids are lucky because they have a good DHS worker and other support.

Written by: Monique Kuhns
Photo by: Angie Jungling