Every three months I attend a meeting together with leaders of the Department of Social and Health Services and local private foster care agencies.  This meeting is used as a way to communicate policy and practice changes, improve collaboration between state and private partners, and share best practices among all the providers.  It’s easy to leave a meeting like this without a clear reminder why it is that we’re in this work.  Often budgets, policies, and ”issues” get the focus.  

Yesterday, however, was different.  It wasn’t that policies and budgets were not mentioned…………of course they were.  It was the plea from a top DSHS administrator for private agencies to comb their list of foster families to find anyone that might be willing to take a teenage foster child into their home.   I was struck by the urgency of the request.  “Even if it’s just ONE family!”

My mind quickly went to the story of the man walking along the beach only to find it littered with thousands of dying starfish.  He was walking along randomly picking up one starfish at a time and throwing it back into the ocean.  Another man came by and asked what he was doing.  “I’m throwing these starfish back into the ocean so they don’t die here on the beach,” the man replied.  “But you can’t possibly save them all,” was his friend’s response.  As he reached down to pick up another starfish,  holding it in his hand he said, “I know, but I can save THIS ONE.” 

This work is about “saving the one”.  We currently have 85 foster children placed with Youth for Christ.  Over the course of this year we will have placed over 150 children that have needed a home…some needing ”just” a temporary home.  Does it really matter to each one?  Of course, and that is why our staff do this work.  To make a difference in the life of the “ONE”. 

Would you be willing to open your home to a teenager?  Even just one?  If so, please give us a call.  We’d love to help you find a way to make a difference.

Jeff