CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Pandemic scarcities have affected more than just material good. There's also been a scarcity of foster families.
Kristal Quiroga with the nonprofit, "A World for Children" licenses families who can take care of children as they reunite with biological family members. But the pandemic has only made recruiting foster families harder.
Quiroga says that "especially now more than ever, since there are so many children in South Texas area that need homes temporarily while we go through this reunification process. And so we just need families to come forward. See what we're about."
Becca Redus is a foster parent to six children. Although she and her husband welcomed the last two members of their family in November...
"We didn't feel like our family was actually done with advocating for children in foster care, it became something that just kind of consumed our family's passion and advocacy." Says Redus.
And that passion shines through her work with A World for Children. It takes someone special to care for six kids in need, especially over the course of a global pandemic..
"COVID has had to adjust the way we do things but not what we're doing." Said John Lennan of the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. "There are children in South Texas who are looking for their forever families, we want to make sure that when we match a child with a family that it will be just that, their forever family."
He knows that working through the pandemic has had its challenges to helping children in need. But that goal has stood firm.
He invites interested families to come meet with him and his department to learn more. For those who are hesitant about the fostering process, John Lennan says that the meetings are no obligation.
"f you're interested, we'll take you to the next step. If not, we ask you to take that information, share it with your family, friends and co workers because it may be something they could be interested in help us amplify that message…"
And for Becca, it's a message of gratitude.
"Seeing somebody else's core childhood memories being formed based on the love and care that we're able to offer them..." She says, "And that's just... It's a great privilege.
It's gratitude for getting to nurture the children she fosters into the people they will later be.
If you're interested in this opportunity, you can visit the organization's website at awfc.org or give them a call at 1-800-419-5603.
For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.
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