Foster and Adoptive Family Testimonials
On this page you will find stories from WV families who have opened their homes and hearts to youth in foster care. Whether you have adopted, you are a certified family waiting for your first placement or you are just starting the process of becoming a foster and/or adoptive family, we hope these stories fill you with hope and inspiration.
Adam Starks Story
Meet Adam Starks. He entered foster care at 8 years old and aged out at 18. Even though Adam had the odds stacked against him, he went on to receive a PHD, write a book about his life, and open a business.
Megan Harold & Kristy Belt Story
Meet Megan and Kristy Belt! Kristy is our Academic Liaison for the Bridge Program in Clay County where she works and helps youth in foster care everyday. She met Megan through youth group at church. Listen to their powerful story of how they found one another and became a forever family!
Tasha Hall Story
Tasha was placed into foster care at the age of 2 years old. Watch her story of how she turned her life around after aging out of the foster care system. She hopes to inspire potential foster parents to take the plunge to help children in need.
The Kaehler family
The Kaehler family shares how their hearts were drawn and pulled into foster care which has led to the adoption of eight children. The family speaks about the crisis happening in West Virginia and shares their journey in hopes to put people’s fears at ease of fostering children.
The Shamblin family
The Shamblin family shares their inspiring story about providing foster care for youth in West Virginia and adopting their two daughters who were legally eligible for adoption and waiting for a forever family of their own. With the support of their community, they've been able to do more for children than they could have ever imagined and they believe that you can too.
The Cochran Family
The Cochran family thought they needed to adopt younger children so that they wouldn’t miss out on “firsts” but after they met their 10 year old son who was in foster care and available for adoption, they learned that there are still lots of firsts with older kids. Their son had never had a birthday or been to the beach and they were able to create a lot of great memories together. They’ve now adopted two great kids from foster care in West Virginia. They encourage you to consider fostering and/or adopting older children who need the love of a caring family.
The Thompson family
The Thompson Family shares their story about their journey from "empty-nesters" to becoming foster parents, bonding with the children placed in their care and how it ultimately led them to realize the need to adopt teens in care who are at risk of aging out of the system. They want you to know that being a foster parent matters.
The Saidi Family
Inspired by the need for foster families in WV, the Saidi family thought they would foster to adopt a younger child who was in need of a loving family. However, not everything goes according to plan and now, the Saidi family wouldn't want to imagine their lives being any different. They've learned that when you meet the kids, everything changes and you want your life to be about the kids. They've now adopted 7 kids, the oldest adopted at age 15, and they would like you to know that kids in care need you too.
The Parsons Family
Cynthia became a foster parent when she was single, a full time graduate student and worked as a case manager. After two years of fostering a sibling group of two, she adopted and then met the love of her life who is now their father. She wants to remind you to keep your options open and wherever you are in life, if fostering feels right for you, you might be surprised by the joys of fostering older children. And as her daughter says, there are a lot of kids in foster care in West Virginia who just want to be loved.