Wesley House Family Services is actively seeking compassionate community members to become licensed foster parents. With only seven licensed foster homes currently in Monroe County, the need is critical, especially for teenagers and sibling groups.
“Our goal is to double that number by the end of the year,” said Lindsey Betterman, foster parenting licensing coordinator at Wesley House. “Every child deserves to stay in their community, go to their school, stay on their sports team and keep their friendships — even when they’re going through something as tough as entering foster care.”
As a former foster parent herself, Betterman said, “It’s probably the single most wonderful thing you can do. Helping a child succeed — whether that’s getting an A in school or reuniting safely with their family — is an unmatched joy.”
The next round of pre-service foster parent training classes begins Aug. 14 and runs for eight weeks, meeting online Thursday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. These classes are required for licensing and are open to anyone 21 or older who can pass a background check and provide a safe home environment.
“You don’t need to be perfect — you just need to be present,” Betterman said. “It truly only takes one consistent, caring adult to change a child’s entire life.”
More information is available from Betterman at 305-809-5020.
