Today SPRING 2011
D e P e l c h i n C h i l d re n ’s C e n t e r ®
A Call to Love: The Borden Family’s Story Priscilla was four days old and weighed just over five pounds when Child Protective Services dropped her off at the home of Robert and Jessica Borden. The newborn was in desperate need of nurturing care—something her cocaine-addicted mother was unable to provide. Robert and Jessica, foster parents for DePelchin Children’s Center, knew they could give Priscilla the love and attention she deserved. As they each held her for the first time, they experienced the flood of emotions felt by many new parents.
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felt excited and nervous at the same time,” Jessica recalls. “She was a beautiful little girl, but was so tiny I worried she might slip through my arms if I wasn’t careful.” Priscilla’s arrival at her new home was not the first time the Bordens had experienced the thrill of becoming parents. Just five months earlier, they had agreed to their first foster placement, welcoming into their home a four-day-old baby boy whose mother had been incarcerated. With the addition of little Priscilla to their family, the Bordens had a full house—and lots of love to give. Robert and Jessica’s motive for becoming foster parents was simple: they wanted to build a family. When they were unable to have children of their own, they began searching for other options. After discovering DePelchin’s adoption
and foster care services online, they attended an informational orientation. Robert says he and Jessica were surprised to learn so many children needed foster parents. “There are tons of kids—including babies—who need a place to go,” Robert says. “If you want to foster infants, the opportunity is there.” In the Houston area alone, there is a great need for parents willing to foster infants. Of the 5,000 children currently in protective custody in the Houston area, more than 1,200 are under the age of two, according to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. The Bordens keenly understood the plight and suffering of infants who come from abusive situations. They witnessed it firsthand with Priscilla. A week after she entered their care, Priscilla broke out in a high fever and had to be rushed to the hospital. Doctors said she was experiencing cocaine withdrawal and diagnosed her with a range of medical issues, including a bacterial blood infection, urinary tract infection, acid and renal reflux and asthma. Thankfully, under the watchful care of Robert and Jessica, Priscilla quickly recovered and today is a healthy, active two-year-old girl. While the Bordens admit that fostering has had its challenges, they say the experience has brought even greater rewards. One of the most significant has been watching little Priscilla grow up. They chuckle as they recall one momentous
inside 2 From the Board Chairman 3 Getting to Know The Simmons Foundation 4 Holiday Reception Toasts DePelchin Giving Societies 4 Holiday Project
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There are tons of kids— including babies—who need a place to go. If you want to foster infants, the opportunity is there. continued on page 2
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5 Our Sincere Appreciation 6 Our Children Need Friends 6 Changing of the Guard 7 What’s Happening at DePelchin 8 Strike Up the Band: DePelchin’s Annual Luncheon 8 Leaving a Legacy