A LETTER FROM SUSIE

What is a foster home community? It is a neighborhood of independent foster homes in one central location. Ours is on 12 acres of donated land with licensed loving foster parents in each home helping four to six traumatized foster children at any given time. It is a village of support, with common goals and a shared mission to make a difference in the lives of these children, no matter how long they are with us. It is a gaggle of kids, 18 at any given time, who know that they are surrounded by adults who know and understand them and other children who they befriend because all of them know what it is like to be homeless, having been removed from their homes, due to no fault of their own.

The country environment is healthy and perfect for these kids, with our community of 25 chickens, 6 dogs, 7 goats, and the occasional cow that comes to visit. We have a thriving community garden, a playground, and a sports court for basketball and pickle ball.

We have Gigi’s closet on the property, a great resource of clothes, books and needs for our foster families and the surrounding communities.  We have served 100+ foster children with their needs.

Five years ago, we opened our first foster home and today we have three foster homes and have helped 45 foster children to date.  98% of those children have been sibling pairs and groups. Today, we have 2 sisters in our first home and their brother is in our second home. Our third home has a sibling group of 4.  We have 18 children in residence currently, which is 6 children in each home.

I was in the system as part of a sibling group of 5 and we were always split up. Three of us, however, had foster placements with foster parents who made a positive difference in our lives. We experienced normalcy of what a family should be, so, when we were sent back to a troubled situation and when we aged out of the system, we remembered what it was like to be part of a normal family. I knew that I deserved and could have that too someday. I am a retired teacher, have raised 2 boys, and been married to the same man for 47 years.

The key to GFF’s success is our foster parents.  They come to us having fostered previously as a couple, they have shared the mission of foster care and open their hearts to as many children as CPS allows us to have in our homes. Every child requires a long list of needs, and it is challenging and can be overwhelming. The support they receive in a community makes a big difference.  Nationally, 50% of foster parents leave their role in the first year.

Our parents are licensed for children 0-17 years of age within 19 counties of DFPS (Dept. of Family Protective Services). The children have a home with us as long as needed, which has been 3 months up to a year, depending on circumstances.

Our goal and our dream are to have 7 homes helping 42 children at any given time. We are building a sustainable community that will be here for years to come.  It is also a program that can be replicated all over the country. Many “group homes” are now building independent foster homes on their properties because they know that creating a family environment is a successful plan.

We have no salaried employees, we do not pay our foster parents, we receive no state or federal funds, and we are debt free. We exist on prayers, faith, grants, fundraiser events and donations.

May God Bless us all,

Susie