Connecting Foster Families to Each Other

Sarah & Chris

After learning about the critical need for more licensed foster homes, Sarah and Chris Knight volunteered to open their home to a child in need of a safe place to land. With three school-aged children, they figured they could add an infant to the mix.

But as foster care often goes, their first call for an emergency placement was a little more complicated than they envisioned. Their agency worker let them know that there was a six-month-old baby girl in need of placement that night, and her two older brothers were en route from a home where they had been abandoned several hours away. They had been searching all day for a foster home that could care for the siblings together.

Sarah and Chris took a few minutes to think and pray about their decision and ultimately said “yes” to all three siblings. Quickly welcoming three new children, all with different needs, was overwhelming, but Foster Village’s on-call volunteers showed up same-day to help assemble beds, deliver welcome packs, and stock the family’s freezer with meals.

As the Knight family adjusted to life with six children, they knew they couldn’t take on this journey alone. Through Foster Village, they were able to connect with other families at Support Gatherings and get some time to rest and reconnect as a couple through our Parents’ Night Out program.

Six months into the case, the Knights got word that the siblings’ grandmother was located and she had a desire to see the children. Through the training Foster Village provided, the Knights felt equipped to build a relationship with Grandma and help facilitate visits with her and the kids.

Once it was determined that all three children would find permanency with Grandma, we were able to connect with her to make sure she had all the furniture and resources she needed to take care of three young children again. The Knights still see the kids –who are healing and thriving – on a regular basis and serve as an extension of family for Grandma, who is successfully caring for her grandchildren.