Often, resource families can feel alone throughout the journey of parenting youth within the foster system. In the bleak moments, it can feel as if they are drowning with no hope of a lifeline. Although there are countless wonderful moments within these families, it is no surprise that learning to parent vulnerable kids can be a leap into the unknown for so many.
One essential facet of the Alliance is mobilizing churches. Recently, the Alliance created a core team with Bayside Church Granite Bay whose goal is to unite our community and rally around resource and adoptive families. Because May is Foster Care Awareness Month, the Alliance wanted to highlight this unique opportunity to assist resource families in the area.
One member of the core team, Karissa Furze, has seen the impacts of a strong community in her own life. When asked what motivated Karissa to join the Bayside core team, she explained that her last community was incredible for her during her own parenting experiences. So many of them shared the common bond of the multiple joys and hardships of being a resource and adoptive parent. Karissa said, "I can't imagine going through this process without a group of people holding you up. I don’t know how people do this without a support group.” She said she never wants anyone to feel like they don't have someone to bounce things off of which is why this team stood out to her. Karissa expressed how thankful she is to have gained lifelong friends and people who can relate to her journey of fostering/adopting on a deep and personal level in her previous community.
Karissa's hope for the core team is, “That it helps bring to the forefront this big need (supporting and encouraging resource and adoptive families) because unless you're looking for it, it’s really easy to miss this need within your community.” She conveyed the importance of the church calling its members higher and uplifting these families through the good and bad.
The Alliance is so thankful for this incredible team and all of the effort they are putting in to serve vulnerable kids and families locally. Thank you Bayside Granite Bay Core Team!
(Karissa and her family)
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