A Love That Lasts Forever

A Love That Lasts Forever

“In a nutshell, this exasperating journey taught me how to be brave, trust others, and how to experience true happiness.”

Jason* is a young man who spent the majority of his life in and out of foster homes, with the weight of caring for his younger siblings on his shoulders. Now fifteen years old, he shared with us an essay he wrote for school explaining his hardships in life, and how through the help of his 4KIDS Foster and Adoptive Family and others, he learned to be brave, trust others, and find happiness through it all.

Having moved so many times, Jason experienced a lot of trauma in his life. When he and his siblings first came to his 4KIDS Foster Parents, Jason shared how difficult it was for him to trust his new caregivers. With the help of his 4KIDS EPIC Therapist and key people pouring into his life, however, he began to open up and push past the fear of getting close to people.

“Having friends and family that care about you unconditionally helps tremendously, because their love lasts through trials and tribulations.”

- Jason, 4KIDS Teen

Whenever Jason became overwhelmed, his support system helped him find coping mechanisms like music, sports, and participating in his church’s youth group in order to boost his mental health and find joy in life. After over 300 days in foster care, Jason and his siblings were adopted by their loving foster parents, and don’t ever have to worry about saying “goodbye” again. Today, Jason is active in his church, has a part-time job, and excels in high school.

Jason’s story is just one example of a life transformed by unconditional love. No matter how big or small your involvement is in foster care, from making a financial gift, to volunteering, or being a foster parent, all of these things come together to make a huge difference for kids like Jason.

*Names have been changed to protect the identity of the kids we serve.