FPA2020

May 2020

AWFCHASTHEBESTFOSTERPARENTS!

By: Ashl eighWil kes,Execut iveDir ect or

When people ask me why I work in social welfare, the answer is simple. Everyday, I get to witness the very best of humanity. Given that I work with abused and neglected children, that may seem an odd statement. But, I get to watch angels on Earth, our foster parents, rebuild life. There is really nothing that I can think of that is more awe-inspiring and truly life-changing than watching a person open their door to a complete stranger 's child, broken, battered, angry, distraught, and overall lost, and then, day after day, against all odds, begin rebuilding that

little person. Our foster parents teach that child

Our staff has been hard at work, brainstorming, shopping, contacting partners, compiling, etc. to make sure that we think of alllll the things we can do to show you how much we appreciate you and the work you are doing EVERY SINGLE DAY!! We've had donuts, dinners, movie night packs, s'mores, Taco Tuesday, t-shirts, cards, parades.... You think of it, it's been tried somewhere in the State to show OUR foster parents how SPECIAL YOU ARE!! Hope you enjoy the pictures throughout of all these special treats!! You deserve everything we can give you! One month is never long enough, but we have stuffed it full to spoil you! STATEWIDE APPRECIATION!

to trust again, learn what love really looks like, distinguish between a good touch and a bad, realize that all adults are not cruel, understand kindness without expecting anything in return, teach what childhood should look like, and overall give them a home. A home is not just somewhere to live. A home is a shelter from the outside world. A home is where you know a hug will be waiting. A home is somewhere you know you can run away from and still come back to. A home is filled with people who love you for the good, the bad, and the ugly. Our foster parents build these homes. They don't do it for wealth or accolades, they

do it because they want this world to be better because of what they have done. They want to make a child's life brighter and better. Even on days that the pain of being a foster parent is too much to bear, they put themselves aside and stand in the gap for a child. That is why I do this job - to have the blessing of standing beside true angels, watching each of you do God's work. I am honored to be part of your family and to serve you.

5YEAR FAMILIES!

Douglas and Kimber ly Gehm , Amar illo

Elizabet h Ogunr inde, Houst on

Angelica Salcido, El Paso

Joshua and Rebecca Light , San Ant onio

John and Pr iscilla Lerma, Cor pus Chr ist i

Jody Bayless, San Ant onio

Pam Beat t y, Tyler

Trampas and Amy Valdez, Brownwood

Kim and Danny Brown, Tyler

Mar t in and Mar gar it a Gonzalez, McAllen

St eve and Jessie Baker , Brownwood

AWFC TOKENOF APPRECIATION: JACKETS

Kim and Venit a Fant roy, Bur leson

Juan and Dar lene Velasco, Round Rock

Rodolfo and Abigail Cepeda, McAllen

Anast acio Valdez, McAllen

Joshua and Lor i Hufst edler , Wichit a Falls

mor e 5YEAR FAMILIES!

Hor t encia Salazar , McAllen

Angelica Gar za, McAllen

Alber t o and Her linda Camacho, McAllen

Mar issa Olivarez, McAllen

Reynaldo and Olga Ozuna, McAllen

Jeremy and Meagan Kir k , Wichit a Falls

Jesus and Dalila Gar za, McAllen

Bill and Janet t e Cook , Bur leson

10year famil ies!

Billy and Dollie Reese, Round Rock

Tony Ru iz, San Ant on io

awf c t okenof appr eciat ion: Rings

David and Deborah Pavlicek , Round Rock

Pam Walker , Round Rock

15 Year Fam i l ies!!

Juan and Anita Luna, El Paso

Rafael and Josie Barrera, Corpus Christi

Hermilo and Noelia Pena, Corpus Christi

Michael and Rebecca Griffith, Brownwood

Ana Carrejo, Brownsville

AWFC TOKEN OF APPRECIATION: $1500

Mario and Maria Quintero, McAllen

Oscar and Amelia Flores, El Paso

FAM ILY DINNER NIGHT!

20+ Year Famil ies!

DougandTammyKegarise,Tyler

JayandLindaRohus,Tyler

DannyCuellar,McAllen

TroyandTeresaShelton,Brownwood

Derrell andMaryMoore,RoundRock

RodolfoandJosefinaSolis,Brownsville

LeonardoandElizabethCapili,RoundRock

AWFC Tokenof Appr eciat ion: $2000

GusandOdalisSanchez, RoundRock

TerryandDianeBurton,RoundRock

w hat wet hink about our amazing f ost er famil ies!

" 'One of t he purest and most undef iled demonst rat ions of t he Gospel is t o move t owards hard places and broken people, not away f rom t hem . [ Jason Johnson].' Th is is f ost er care and t h is is t he remar kable wor k t hat our f ost er parent s do." -Yvonne Velasquez, Brownwood Fost er Fam ily Specialist

"Fost er parent s are in a league of t heir own, t r u ly unsung heroes, t he backbone of commun it ies, hand craf t ed by God!"

-Bar bara Baldovin, Houst on Direct or

"On ly t hose who have lear ned t he power of sincere and self less cont r ibut ion exper ience lif e's deepest joy: t r ue f u lf illment . Fost er parent s exemplif y self less giving t hat enr iches t he lives of ot her s in ways t hat w ill out live us all! - Doug Wilson, Direct or of Finance

"Fost er parent s are special people t hat are called t o do incredibly hard wor k . They provide a loving home, saf et y, compassion, normalcy, and f am ily t o ch ildren, who have exper ienced t rauma. I f eel blessed t o wor k w it h some of t he ver y best each day and t o w it ness t he posit ive changes t hey br ing t o so many ch ildren's lives." - Jenn if er Hyslop, Round Rock Direct or

"Fost er parent ing is one of t he t oughest , yet most rewarding t ypes of parent ing a human can do. Their love is self less, relent less, and at t imes hear t -break ing. They know t hat t heir love is never wast ed." - Sarah Vasquez, San Ant on io/ Vict or ia Direct or

"Fost er parent s have always been heroes t o me. They lead w it h t heir hear t s t o be able t o open t heir homes and f am ilies t o help a ch ild in need. Since t he COVID-19 pandem ic, I call t hem 'super heroes' now. They have become f u ll t ime caregiver s, cooks, ent er t ainer s, t eacher s, and anyt h ing else t he CDC gu idelines have recommended in t hese ever -changing t imes." -Kr ist i Haxt on, Tyler Direct or

"Speak up f or t hose who cannot speak f or t hemselves, f or t he r ight s of all who are dest it ut e. Speak up and judge f air ly; def end t he r ight s of t he poor and needy [Prover bs 31:8-9].' Fost er parent s have heard t he call and have answered! Thank you f or your humble hear t s." - Mar n i Mor gan, St at ew ide Program Adm in ist rat or

"Fost er parent s are some of t he most self less people I have ever met . They sacr if ice so much just so t he ch ild in t heir home f eels t he uncondit ional love t hey deser ve!" -Mar y Grace Cur r y, Dallas/ Bur leson Direct or

"Fost er parent s are t r u ly our unsung heroes. They t ake broken-hear t ed ch ildren and rock t hem t hrough t heir t ear s; t hey calm t eenager s dur ing t heir f r ust rat ion of reject ion; t hey care f or t he broken ch ildren, who were physically damaged by abuse. God salut es f ost er parent s as t r ue heroes." - Sharon Willis, Vice President

"Fost er parent s are real lif e super heroes. They heal hear t s and save lives." -Andrew St egall, Placement Coordinat or

"Wor k ing w it h f ost er parent s, who open t heir homes and especially t heir hear t s t o ch ildren in need has been t he most rewarding and humbling exper ience of my lif e. The process of providing a car ing, nur t ur ing, and saf e home t o our f ost er ch ildren is simply pr iceless.' -Oscar Millan, El Paso Direct or

"Ch ildren may not remember what you buy or give t hem , but t hey w ill always remember t he way you made t hem f eel." - Na'Talya Payne, Fost er Fam ily Specialist

I wou ld like t o say t hank you f or t he good you br ing t o t h is wor ld; t hank you f or put t ing your self second, so t hat a ch ild cou ld be f ir st ; t hank you f or providing f or ch ildren you have no pr ior connect ion t o or know ledge of ; t hank you f or t he t ime and ext ra expenses you put int o helping ch ildren have a happier , more successf u l f ut ure!" -Carey Har t in, Brownwood Direct or " Love does incredibly hard t h ings. One of our f ost er parent heroes sat in a hospit al room f or 12 st raight days w it h her f ost er daught er af t er her f ost er daught er made some unw ise choices. Fost er mom never once complained; rat her , she said "God walks t hrough t he st orm w it h us even when we cause t he st orm . I can do t he same f or someone t hat I love." -Tanya Par k , Amar illo Direct or " Being involved w it h f ost er care is an emot ional jour ney f or ever yone. So, when a f am ily want s t o give a ch ild a home, who may not ot herw ise have one, i know t hat a ch ild is one car ing adu lt away f rom being a success st or y. Remember , a w ise per son once st at ed, 'A st rong per son st ands up f or t hemselves, but t he st rongest per son st ands up f or ot her s.' " -Mar icela Medrano, McAllen/ Brownsville Direct or

"Open ing your hear t , home, and lif e t o an unf am iliar ch ild, in t he end is t he great est reward." - Kr ist al Qu iroga, Cor pus Chr ist i Direct or " I f eel so blessed t o be able t o wor k w it h f ost er f am ilies; t hey are t he st rongest people i know. I have cr ied happy and sad t ear s w it h many of t hem over t he year s and, ever yday, i am amazed by what t hey do in loving and car ing f or all t he ch ildren com ing int o t heir lives." -Samant ha Taggar t , Development Direct or

"Fost er f am ilies are t he most self less, pat ient , dedicat ed parent s t hat I have t he pleasure of walk ing alongside dur ing t hese ch ildren's jour neys." - Ash ley Almanza, Wich it a Falls Direct or