Dealise has been a huge asset to her licensing agency. From the day of her initial licensure, she has shown a desire for helping our teen girls and advocating for their needs. Dealise is positive, enthusiastic, and compassionate. She assists with respite care and is extremely flexible. The agency is privileged to have her as a member of the professional team. Thank you, Dealise, for your continued commitment for the children in your community and for making a difference in their lives!

Sarah and Justin have been licensed foster parents since April 2016. They first decided to open their hearts and home to foster care almost 6 years ago as they saw a huge need for children in care. Since they have been licensed, they have gone above and beyond for the children placed in their home. They have been exceptional with keeping siblings together and always putting the children best interests in mind. They are open to mentoring relationships with biological families, helping with transportation, and just representing what it truly means to foster children in need. Sarah and Justin are humble, loving, caring, generous, and kind – even their biological children have been involved in helping children in need feel loved and welcomed in their home. It has been wonderful partnering with this family in the last several years and we are excited to see how much more they will accomplish with their never-ending, gracious attitude.

Cheryl has been a licensed foster parent since 1996. For many of those years Cheryl provided enhanced therapeutic services for children experiencing significant behavioral issues. Cheryl has fostered hundreds of children during her time as a foster parent. In addition, Cheryl adopted three young ladies and has provided a loving and permanent home for them. She always has a house full of teen girls. All her girls are well taken care of and love living with her. She is so dedicated to all the children that are placed in her home and want the best for each and every one of them. Cheryl continues to maintain relationships with many of the children/teens she has fostered that are now adults. She has always been a great asset to the agency in emergency situations. She has demonstrated the ability to manage challenging behaviors through her compassion and patience. We are very fortunate and appreciative to have Cheryl. Thank you, Cheryl, for being a part of our professional team.

Rachel and Jeremy have been fostering and providing a loving home to children for the past 2 years and have also been fortunate to adopt and provide a permanent family and home to a child previously placed in their home. Their home is full of creativity for the children to explore their interests and find their niche. Rachel and Jeremy understand the importance of sibling relationships and are currently providing care to a large sibling group. Due to the number of siblings they were unable to provide care for all of them but the family understands the importance of keeping the siblings connected and plan play dates with the foster mom of the remaining siblings. Rachel and Jeremy are always willing to go the extra mile and to help the children in their home anyway they can. We are so fortunate to have Rachel and Jeremy as a part of our fostering and adoption team.

Vickie and Keith have been licensed foster parents since October 2020 and have provided a loving home for many children in need. Vickie and James work diligently to serve as active members of the professional team. The family embraces every child placed in their home in a nurturing and compassionate manner. The family is aware and understands a child’s need to maintain connections to encourage supportive and healthy relationships. They had a child transition from their home whom they still maintain a relationship with. The family ensured the child left will all her belonging and even rented a U-Haul to transport her items to her next home. They maintain contact with her current family and with her and are a support to both. Children’s Network and the children and families in our community are very grateful and lucky to have the Vickie and James on our team!

Melanie is a single foster mother who has cared for the same four children since being licensed.  It breaks her heart every time she receives a text or call stating a child needs a placement.  Melanie can’t imagine her life without fostering, and she hopes to remain available to help as many children as she can for a long, long time.  Melanie states that the kids in her home are so precious and wonderful.  They are in the situations by no fault of their own and they want, need, and deserve love, support, normalcy, and safety.  She states that they show this need in many ways, but each child eventually responds to the care you provide, and they are stronger and smarter and sweeter than even they knew they could be.  The kids have learned to deal with hurt and anger, they have grown in their relationships with one another, and have come to understand to respect adults and how to gain and expect the same level of respect back.  Melanie feels she has been very blessed to watch them blossom and grow while in her care.  We are so lucky to have Melanie on our team to love and care for these kids.