Pajamas. Christmas presents. Leaving the lights on without fear of the power being shut off. These are things that Jessica didn’t know when she first came to her LSS-SW Family HOMES foster family.
Jessica was just five-years-old when Department of Child Safety came to her home one night because her parents could no longer care for her and her three younger siblings. Jessica was placed with her great-aunt Carrie, her LSS-SW foster mom.
““The first thing I gave Jessica when she arrived was a teddy-bear. I told her that her mom would hear anything that she whispered to the bear,” says Carrie. ”
But, her LSS-SW foster mom gave Jessica more than a teddy-bear. She gave her a home. She gave her comfort. She gave her security. She acknowledged the pain and confusion a child feels when they lose the only parents they know.
A year later, Jessica is now full of curiosity and life. She recently entered kindergarten as part of a family that cares about her. She still whispers to the bear at night – sometimes because she is mad over chores, or excited about a day at school – but never because she is afraid of the lights turning off.
Today, 35 children in Arizona will enter the foster care system. You can help children like Jessica find the loving families and support they need.
Attend an orientation session about becoming a foster parent