DEFENDER
Issue 45 | May 2025
In This Issue:
Bright moments in our regional communities
Read about the good news happening at a few of our regional offices.
3 Beautiful Babies
4KIDS His Caring Place (HCP) welcomes 3 new babies into the world with support and loving care.
Enjoy photos and recaps of our fun-filled Foster and Adoptive Family Picnics.
more ways to get involved
Take your next step with 4KIDS by participating in Gift Planning, Champions 4KIDS, EPIC Training, and/or a Vision Tour.
Bright Moments in Our Regional Communities
At our core, 4KIDS is a foster care agency licensing Christian foster families who are equipped to welcome in kids who have been removed from their homes due to no fault of their own. Our 4KIDS Placement Coordinator, Dawn, has the honor, privilege, and occasionally challenging job of connecting kids with current and open 4KIDS Foster Families. Continue reading to hear about recent placements that occured in a few of our regional offices.
Broward
One of our newly licensed families in Broward, the MartinezPerdomo Family, recently received their first placement, a newborn baby boy. He spent the first four weeks of his life in the NICU due to substance exposure. Heartbreakingly, his mother had never visited or shown interest in caring for him, and no father was identified.
This sweet family was eager to welcome this little one into their home, but they were out of town when he was scheduled to be discharged. Thankfully, the Hurtado Family—another amazing 4KIDS Foster Family—stepped in to provide respite care over the weekend until the Martinez-Perdomo Family returned. This precious boy and family are now together and doing well!
Palm Beach
The Cannon Family was licensed on March 12th and were thrilled at the possibility of welcoming their first placement. That very same day, a sibling pair of a 4-year-old boy and his 2-year-old sister entered foster care. The children had been living in a car with their mother, who was struggling with substance abuse and unable to provide proper supervision. With no father in the picture, the situation was urgent. Without hesitation, the Cannon Family said yes to both children, opening their hearts and home immediately!
Treasure Coast
Treasure Coast foster parent Carrie Facen recently re-opened her home and welcomed a sibling pair—a 9-year-old boy and his 13-year-old sister—who entered foster care due to abuse in their previous home. Although Carrie was initially nervous to start fostering again, she shared that things are going well so far. The siblings have been happily adjusting to their new home and Ms. Facen remarked that they have been a joy!
Did you know that May is National Foster Care Month?
This month is dedicated to celebrating and honoring foster families while raising awareness about the urgent need for more homes— and meaningful reform within the foster care system. As a 4KIDS Defender, we want to thank YOU for being an advocate for change, not just in May, but all year long!
Many of our 4KIDS families have experienced powerful stories of healing and growth, and today we want to share one of them—the Brown Family’s story is a beautiful reminder of how one child’s life can be forever changed.
Keishla and Michael Brown felt led by God to open their hearts and home to foster care after hearing a message at church several years ago. When they got the call about a young boy needing placement, they received the basics—his age, care needs, allergies—but had no idea just how meaningful the journey ahead would be. They welcomed him with open arms, comforted him with stuffed animals, gave him a tour of his new home, played basketball, and made his favorite meals. And then, everything changed when the Browns officially adopted him, making him their forever son!
Emmet has grown and changed so much from receiving the love he always deserved. From hiding behind Keishla’s legs in shyness to now greeting new people and striking up conversation, he is a fun and spunky 5-year-old with a zeal and drive for life!
“Foster care has transformed our lives, our perspectives, our hearts and our character for the better. I truly don’t know what our life would look like. We would not be who we are today without having been foster/adoptive parents.” - Keishla Brown, 4KIDS Foster Mom
3 Beautiful Babies
4KIDS His Caring Place (HCP) is a safe haven for women facing unplanned pregnancies. Within this home, women receive not only a roof over their heads, but also the compassionate guidance, life-skills training, and daily support they need to confidently navigate pregnancy and the journey into motherhood.
Since January, three young women at HCP have given birth to healthy, beautiful babies! Thanks to the support of HCP, each of these women received comprehensive prenatal care, took part in parenting classes, and were surrounded with encouragement and care every step of the way as they prepared to welcome their little ones into the world.
But HCP offers more than just individual support, it fosters a true sense of community. Living together in one home, these young moms form meaningful connections, sharing their experiences. In a season that could feel overwhelming or isolating, they’re able to learn from one another, bond over shared challenges, and lend helping hands when needed. This sisterhood becomes an anchor as they each step into their new roles with courage and hope.
While we can’t say for certain where these young women and their children might have ended up without the care of HCP, we are incredibly grateful that they’ve found a nurturing, empowering environment—a place where they are safe, seen, and supported as they grow alongside their sweet babies.
Picnic Parties!
Throughout March and April, each of our regional offices hosted a 4KIDS Foster and Adoptive Family Picnic! From Hawaiian-themed celebrations featuring Moana performances and live animals, to high-energy gatherings at action parks, to laid-back afternoons in scenic park pavilions, each picnic created a joyful space for families to connect. No matter the location or theme, every event was filled with laughter, delicious food, and plenty of fun, bringing our foster and adoptive families together to make lasting memories.
Here’s what some of our 4KIDS Foster and Adoptve Parents had to say about these events:
“I love the picnic! It’s the perfect time to unwind, relax, and watch the kids have a blast!” - Olga Durham, 4KIDS Palm Beach Foster Mom
“ My kids couldn’t get enough of the pony rides!” - Broward Foster/Adoptive Parent
“Such a great event! Thank you so much to the sponsors” - Evelyn Hanners, 4KIDS SWFL Foster Mom
Spotlight: Meet Sharon!
1)What is your title at 4KIDS?
I am the Defender Program Manager at 4KIDS. I started in September 2024.
2)What is your favorite part of your job? I really love praying with our partners!
3)What makes our 4KIDS Defenders so important? Monthly recurring givers truly Defend our children and families in crisis because monthly giving supports, sustains, and secures their needs each month.
4)What makes you passionate about the 4KIDS Mission? I am passionate about what 4KIDS does because I love children and believe every child truly deserves a loving home with a loving family.
5)What is something you would say to encourgae our Defenders?
My Defenders are amazing as they do God’s work each month and I would want them to know that their monthly gift changes the lives of these children who depend on them.
6)Tell us a fact about yourself!
I love to make children smile and for 19 years I ran a children’s storytelling business creating felt board stories that I set to music which I performed at schools, churches, synagogues and all kinds of events. My heart is where the children are!
More Ways to Get Involved
Vision Tours
Come and hear stories of transformed lives made possible by your generosity! During a 4KIDS Vision Tour, you’ll learn all about what makes 4KIDS unique and discover other ways that you can make a difference for kids and families in need. Vision Tours are offered quarterly in-person at 4KIDS Headquarters in Broward. To sign up for the next one, visit: 4KIDS.us/VisionTour
Champions 4KIDS
Champions4KIDS is a committee of advocates who bring hope to kids in crisis by garnering support for fundraising and community engagement initiatives. Join a community dedicated to advocating for vulnerable children in our communities. Visit 4KIDS.us/Champions to learn more.
Training & Resources
Gain fresh insight on how to work with kids who have experienced trauma, and how to be more effective as a parent or leader in any child’s life. EPIC training is free and occurs online over two days. To register for an upcoming training, visit: 4KIDS.us/EPICTraining
We also have various parenting videos and resources created by our 4KIDS Clinical Team available at: 4KIDS.us/EPIC/DigitalResources
Visit HopeConnect.org for dozens of fun, everyday activities to do with any child in your life to instill a Biblical sense of hope and healing. Plus, subscribe to the new Thrive Blog by visiting their home page and clicking the ‘Subscribe’ button in the upper right.
Estate & Legacy Planning
Make a transformational gift that protects your family and creates more Hope, Homes, and Healing through 4KIDS. Design your first estate plan or update an existing one with our trusted partner Financial Planning Ministry (FPM), a service available at no cost to you when you include a bequest to 4KIDS. Sign up for the next informational webinar at: 4KIDS.us/EstateandLegacyPlanning
Thank You 4KIDS DEFENDERS!
Because of your recurring gift, between February and April across all the regions we serve:
646 children found hope through CarePortal 205 children were served in loving foster homes
3,001 hours of therapy helped kids and families discover healing
2717 West Cypress Creek Road
Lauderdale, FL 33309