Special Edition
Foster Parent Appreciation Month
You're a sky full of stars.
. .
May is Foster Parent Appreciation month and we are celebrating your commitment to our youth in care with this special edition of the CYFS Newsletter. All of us here at CYFS want you to know how valuable you are to us for your dedication to caring for our children.
All of you are like the stars in the sky for CYFS. Working 24/7 to provide a safe and secure home for our youth to allow them to heal and thrive. Words will never be able to express the admiration and gratitude we have for you here at CYFS.
“Working together, tiny stars light the universe. That’s the power of teamwork.”
Dear CYFS Foster Parents, Your CYFS Child Welfare Team
One of the Hardest Jobs in The World
One of the most challenging jobs in the world is being a foster parent. Opening your home at 2 in the morning for a child, who looks at you at that time as if you are the enemy and not the refuge that you feel they should see it. Helping heal hearts while dealing with anger from wounds you never created. You are lifting a child up who is continually putting you down and never knowing when the hurt of trauma will rear its ugly head and when you will be the target of its fury. Yet foster parents lumber on knowing that there will be brighter days ahead and that the horrible names they called you are not geared towards you — it is just anger that has built-up in a child who has had to deal with more in their short lifetime, than even any adult should endure.
We, as foster parents, do this not for the reward or glory. We do it because we know that a child should never have to go through this alone, and that the hurt comes from the sting of trauma stemming from abuse or neglect. We do it because we know that someday the child who now feels busted and broken can heal. We also do it for that biological parent who has also experienced the hurt
and addiction brought on by generational trauma. Now trying for a chance to heal themselves so they can get their child back.
Our reward for being a foster parent isn’t the money or the accolades – it is when you see that child who couldn’t do anything but sob and be angry – finally look at you and smiles for the first time. That biological parent who gets their child back and says, “Thank you for taking care of my baby while I could not.” Knowing that the impact that you have made can help a child to not become a statistic of homelessness, drug abuse, or incarceration. Being a foster parent is the most challenging, most rewarding job in the world and one that is not for the faint of heart. Because if it were easy, everyone would do it.
As a previous foster parent and adoptive parent of six teenage boys, please know that we understand, thank you, and applaud you.
Jesse Rodriguez-Hammond Recruitment and Retention Supervisor
Whether you are a licensed HMR, unlicensed HMR, or traditionally licensed foster caregiver, you are the stars of our agency. If not for the work you do for our children and youth, we would not be able to do the work we do. You are the ones we call in the middle of the night, looking for placement for our youth. You are the ones who go to doctors, dentists, school appointments and so much more.
You invite our youth into your homes and share your
families, traditions, values and love with them, so they have a chance to work through the experiences life has given them.
You are the ones who hold down the fort at the home front for us and allow our youth a place to call home while they are in care.
Here is to the homes that have been newly licensed or renewed their license in the past fiscal year.
New or Renewed Foster Families
July 1, 2022 to April 1, 2023
You truly make a difference!
Amanda Allington
Qushundra Augusta
Holly Arnett
Misty Baker
Sandra Barker
Matthew Berry
Cheri Bitner
Sarah Boehl
Shelly Boose
Denise Bradshaw
Brenda Browser
Amanda Brown
Denisha Brown
Jeanna Brown
Melissa Brown
Brenda Brower
Sarah Brummett
Ranita Buckley
Megan Burt
Laraine Campe
Lametrius Carter
Robin Chance
Esther Chang
Louis Chase
Amanda Chumley
Janet Clark
Bessie Clauson
Melissa Cole
Lakisha Coleman
Victoria Connolly
Richard Cornthwaite
Spencer Crabb
DeAnn Cullor
Sara Cullins
Robert Cupples
Timothy Danbury
Ronetta Davis
Ira James Dawson
Tiffany Delaere
Chasity Denham
Jessica Dooley
Michael Dray
Vicki Elliot
Zeda Elliott
Trisha Filliman
Earline Foster
Amy Frank
Gerald French
Kayla Gaesser
Peggy Garrett
Michelle Grindley
Rhenn Guynn-Jackson
Megan Harris
Tammy Harter
Tammy Heckman
Tara Heinz
Lawrence Helferich
Darryl Hightower
Elizabeth Hillestad
Lydia Hopkins
Becky Hughes
Caprice Hunt-Robinson
Andreus Ingram
Guynn Jackson
David Jacoby
Kathy Jeckel
Carla Johnson
Julie Joplin
Krystal Kendall
Cindy Killian
Lalita King
Cheryl Kissick
Tonna Kloeden
Jamie Klopfenstein
Patricia Kubisak
Jenny Kuhns
Amber Kunz
Jill Laub
Whitney Lawson
Amy Lewis
Kristi Longfellow
Kelly Madison
Randy Martin
Amber Masten
DaMonicka Matthews
Joseph May
Joel McArthur
Edgar McGee
Robin McGee
Rebecca McKinney
Judy McMillan
Shayla Miller
Taylor Minard
Jennifer Moore
Lindsey Nash
Candyce Neal
Breian Outlaw
Molly Page
Genisis Paredez
Akeea Parker
Brandy Powell
Rachel Probst
Derek Quam
Tammy Quillin
Tracy Raley
Jesus Rodriguez
Timothy Ropp
Nancy Russell
Bonnie Russell
Ryan Schuh
Molly Schwing
Kathleen Scott
Lisa Scott
Kathryn Shaw
Wendy Shelor
Charity Smith
Naomi Smith
AdreAnna Sommer
Amanda Soper
Keeley Stalcup
Joshua Steele
Ashley Stone
Alisa Sudlow
Stacy Sweeney
Lucretia Tackett
Jennifer Thorp
Megan VanDeWostine
Jessy Vester
Shelby Waibel
Constance Ware
Patrice Washington
Marie Weddle
Mariah Wheeler
Dennis Wilhelm
Belinda Williams
Twyla Wilson
Kyle Wolfe
All of you are SUPERSTARS and deserve to walk the red carpet to accept the Golden Parent Statue for all the hard work and dedication you have put in to support our youth and staff!
We asked our child welfare staff to nominate some of you who they believe have gone the extra mile in caring for youth and have made our jobs so much easier! Congratulations to the following Foster Parents nominees:
The Star Fish Award
You cannot make a difference to all of them but that doesn’t mean you don’t try to make a difference one by one. This foster parent makes a difference consistently one youth at a time. Maybe someone who has taken many children or has done something special when the youth has been in the home.
Amanda Allington
Mr. and Mrs. Werner
Mary Smith
Drew Ann and Mason Lee
Lois Bennett
Angie Haynes
Vicki Allard
And the golden star Goes to . . .
Heart of Gold Award
This foster parent leads with their heart. They provide support to the kids, birthparents, and families. They work side by side with staff to help improve the experience of our foster youth.
Tonya and T.J. Finch
Howard Fluech
Meghan Gentry
Taylor Redecker
Katherine and Christopher Smith
Deb Kunkel
Autumn McDevitt (Meyer)
Jessi Allen
The Pickle Award
These foster parents are always ready to – you guessed it – help us out of a “pickle”! They work alongside of the staff to make sure our kiddos are safe and in a loving home.
Tina Russell
Kathy Jeckel
Rookie Award
Being new to foster care did not stop these foster parents. They jumped in with both feet and began helping, in some cases even before the ink on their license was dry!
Lynsey Decker-Gilles and Tyler Gilles
Kim Senteras
DaMonicka Matthews
Michelle and Michael Grindley
Katie and Jacob Daniels
Chasity Denham
swiss army knife Award
These foster parents have proven themselves to be indispensable. They consistently step in to take kids with significant behavioral or medical challenges. These veteran caregivers always consider how they can help so a child does not need to go to shelter or stay longer than needed in residential.
Kathy Gaddy
Katie Samson
Ceola Anderson
Naomi Wheeler
Deborah Hursey
Lori and Steve Boehler
Patricia and Junior Hoffman
The extra mile
These foster parents are committed to going the extra mile to advocate for our youth to make sure their voice is heard and needs are met!
Herneidra Tellery
Crystal and Jason Oswald
Stars That Have Been Brightly Shining 25+ Years!
The Center for Youth and Family Solutions humbly recognizes foster parents who have provided foster care for over 25 years.
Ceola Anderson
James Barton
Marcia Berbaum
Patricia Jackson
Anissa Lewis
Dawn Michaud
Anna Williams
Belinda Williams
Transitional foster home program
This past fiscal year CYFS has taken a journey into a new program that was created to help meet the need for stability for some of our youth in care as they transition from one place to another. Such as youth stepping down from residential or are moving from one placement to another. The Transitional Foster Home (TFH) Program is there to provide a safe and secure home for these youth that is supported by a multidisciplinary team approach to help secure and engage the youth to services that they might need.
Currently we have three foster caregivers who are working with our TFH Program. These caregivers have
put in extra training time and worked with CYFS to provide stability for youth who may not have experienced it for quite some time.
Ceola Anderson, Lois Bennet-McDonald, and Herneidra Tellery have been on this journey with CYFS and have brightened the lives of the youth placed in their homes. We thank you for your help in launching this program as we shoot for the stars to help our youth!
“Fix your course on a star and you’ll navigate any storm.”
Leonardo DaVinci
Foster Care Advisory Board Giving a Guiding Light to CYFS Foster
The CYFS Foster Caregiver Advisory Board has been lighting the way for foster caregivers since our doors opened 11 years ago. Our board consists of a group of CYFS foster parents from across the agency. They work to provide ways to support, advocate, and develop to help enhance the fostering experience for our caregivers. Their mission has remained steadfast throughout the years to ensure the voice of all foster parents is heard.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Center for Youth and Family Solutions Foster Caregiver’s Advisory Board (FCAB’s) provides foster parents the opportunity to support each other and work side by side
Parents
with the CYFS staff to build and strengthen the foster parent community. FCAB’s strive to create a positive sense of foster parenting within their local communities.
FCAB GOALS
• Foster Parent Training and Education
• Foster Parent Advocacy and Networking
• Foster Parent Fundraising
• Foster Parent Recruitment and Retention
• Foster Parent Support and Mentoring
*If you would like more information about becoming an FCAB member, please contact Mary Kay Collins at mkcollins@cyfsolutions.org
members of the cyfs
foster caregiver Advisory Board
Bev Huffman ................. Peoria
Bill Huffman ................. Peoria
Sarah Wilson ............. Champaign
Berenice Boyer .......... Rock Island
Herneidra Tellery ......... Springfield
Jill Wood .................... Peoria
Whitney Lawson .............. Peoria
Jessi Howard ........... Bloomington
Jacqueline Hoke .......... Champaign
Cynthia Skaggs ............... Peoria
Amanda High ............. Springfield
Lois Bennet-McDonald ........ Peoria
Suzy Bell .................... LaSalle
Drewann Lee ................ LaSalle
Meghan Gentry ........... Champaign
Erica Wild ............... Champaign
Sarah Hall ............... Champaign
