"It was hard because you never really know what's going to happen. It's something you can't prepare for. They tell you that they could leave at any moment." –– Nika, foster mom⁠
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As #NationalReunificationMonth comes to a close, we wanted to introduce you to another one of the many parents in our program who is giving children a safe place to call home, and giving biological parents time to make the changes necessary to make their family whole again.⁠
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Nika's fostering journey began when she was handed a precious newborn baby, only two days old.⁠ "They were like, 'here you go!' and I was pretty shocked. The journey was amazing. I couldn't believe they gave me such a precious little thing.”⁠

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Fostering can feel overwhelming and chaotic. Welcoming a new foster placement is often an unpredictable experience, and parents may have as little as hours of warning before the child's arrival. Many foster parents do not know details about the child such as gender, age, how many children need placing, how many belongings they are coming with, and/or what the child's health and medical needs are. Working parents may have to adjust their work schedules with little to no notice, and quickly plan for childcare assistance.⁠
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So how can you support a foster parent who has just welcomed a child (of any age) into their home? ⁠
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💙Offer to cover practical items such as paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, paper plates and cleaning supplies, which saves the parents time and money spent on errands.⁠
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💙If the child is an infant or a toddler - offer to purchase general baby items such as diapers, wipes, outfits and pajamas, and bath needs.⁠
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💙Purchase gift cards to Amazon or Walmart, so they can expect convenient delivery right to their door.⁠
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💙Help with meals - most new parents would gladly welcome assistance in planning and preparing their next meals.⁠
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Not everyone is called to foster or adopt, but we all CAN do something to support the people who do. Click the link in our bio to start supporting a caregiver near you!⁠

Lauren is a former foster (now adoptive) mom whose family was matched in our program a little over two years ago, when her and her husband began fostering two girls who had been in the Love Box program at their previous placement. Sarah, Izzy and Anna’s Love Box leader, had been matched with the girls since March of 2016, and had been with the girls through their previous two placements before following them to Lauren and Nick.

Lauren says,  “Sarah has been in their life for four years now. She's been such a steady presence in their life during all of these transitions, which is wonderful--to have a stable, steady presence in your life when all of these things are changing. I love that the girls get to have an amazing, dedicated, reliable mentor that they absolutely love. Sarah just pours love into our family at every opportunity and each of us feel that deeply.”  Sarah was a faithful friend to Lauren through the foster to adopt process, supporting her, her husband Nick, and their girls through a journey that can feel very lonely and stressful at times.

When asked how the Love Box program has impacted their foster care journey, Lauren shared, “I have always felt the support of the entire Austin Angels community since we became involved. I was so surprised the first time I met the rest of the staff and everyone knew my girls and their story. It made us feel loved and cared for. Anytime I have asked for help from Austin Angels they have said yes with a generous heart. The girls both received bikes, a camping trip, funding for a basketball league, so many clothes, school supplies, fun gifts––and they coordinated and funded the most wonderful adoption day celebration of all time. So yes, we have felt supported throughout our journey!”

The community and support they gained through the Love Box program left Lauren and Nick connected and empowered - something that foster parents sadly don’t always get to experience. “When the girls first came to us, it was a lot for me,” Lauren explains. “There were so many people who came into our home, we weren’t sure what all the rules were, and I relied on Sarah emotionally. I could tell her everything. She really listened to me. Nick and I knew she was there to support us and the girls. It wasn’t just all on us as a couple. We had support. We had another person who could help guide the girls, someone they look up to so much.”

Lauren says her favorite part of the Weber/Krueger family’s relationship with Sarah isn’t just the extra support, but the routine of being in someone else’s life -- hanging out and doing normal things together. Lauren says, “We consider Sarah a permanent part of our extended family… We feel so loved by her and her people. It’s overwhelming in a good way.”

In June 2016, Kathleen was introduced to B as her case manager at Austin Angels. B was placed with her grandma and Kathleen was able to match them with a Love Box group. Over the next year and a half, she got to know B and grew connected to the family. In May 2018, when B needed to be temporarily placed in a new placement, Kathleen, who had recently been licensed as a foster parent, was able to welcome B into her home – and continue to be a consistent person in her life. B's Love Box group continued supporting her at her new placement, allowing her to be surrounded by consistent, healthy adults who were continuing to invest in her.

When B was eventually reunified with her mom, maintaining the relationship between her and B was a priority for Kathleen. She began mentoring B through the Dare to Dream program in order to give their new relationship space to grow outside of her as a foster parent, and give space for B's mom to be her mom.