Two CHRIS 180 families who initially set out on the path of adoption found themselves opening their minds to the possibility of foster care. Both families shared their unique journeys and personal experiences providing foster care to children in need with the support of CHRIS 180.
Alisa Oliver always dreamed of adopting children but was met with an unexpected challenge when her local Division of Family & Children Services office expressed a dire need for foster parents, not adoptive parents. She left the office with a list of Georgia-based organizations that do foster care placements and was encouraged to reach out and explore the fostering option. Oliver, a Navy veteran and retired educator currently pursuing her doctoral degree, had previously been a foster parent in California but was hesitant about reopening her home here in Georgia.
Still determined to become an adoptive parent, she knew that many of the agencies that were provided to her were not the best option for her family. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, she needed to work with an organization that would understand her family dynamic. Oliver was excited to discover CHRIS 180 on the list and learn about our inclusive and affirming services, which prompted her to call!
“I came into CHRIS 180 on the adoption side, and once my home study was approved, we started looking at children, and my eyes opened up to a whole different dynamic of just the amount of trauma children have experienced and the need for foster parents,” Oliver added.
After being reassured that working with CHRIS 180 would be different from her past experiences in California, she decided to give foster care another try. It didn’t take long after the initial foster care orientation for Oliver to recognize how CHRIS 180’s Foster Care and Adoptions team operates through a trauma-informed lens. She appreciated how we provide trauma-informed services to parents and children throughout the entire foster and adoption process so that families can navigate the twists and turns that may come with foster care.
Oliver quickly established an excellent relationship with Foster Care and Adoptions Team Supervisor Lindsay Neubauer, who conducts home studies and licenses foster and adoptive homes to take in children in state custody.
“When I’m doing home evaluations, I’m looking for a safe environment as well as honesty and transparency. I’m checking to see if parents are organized because there are appointments, court hearings and other responsibilities that parents must be present for. Prospective foster parents also need to be open to receiving constructive criticism,” added Neubauer.
Neubauer worked with Oliver to remove any doubts she had regarding foster care. Oliver says, “Going through the home study process is scary, but Lindsay helped me work through all my fears. It has just been a wonderful experience with CHRIS 180.”
The Garcia-Anderson family, who discovered CHRIS 180 online, began their journey with the intent to adopt children. Like Oliver, Jonathan Garcia and Clarence Anderson always wanted to adopt, and they had already adopted their son before joining the CHRIS 180 family.
They decided to pursue the foster-to-adopt path through CHRIS 180. Our Foster Care & Adoptions team guided and supported them through a three-month process, during which the couple completed substantial training on becoming trauma-informed caregivers, learning how to structure their household and appropriately discipline their children, navigating being parents to teens in foster care and more.
After becoming licensed with CHRIS 180, the couple transitioned to legal-risk foster parents, which made them eligible to accept foster and legal-risk youth and increased their placement possibilities.
“We’ve always wanted kids since we met and initially sought to foster to adopt. However, it’s always good to help a child when we can and offer them love and support,” shared Garcia.
Since becoming licensed foster parents with CHRIS 180, both the Oliver and Garcia-Anderson families have had the joy of opening their hearts and homes to an infant son and daughter, respectively.
Oliver recalls how her foster son, who came to her at just five months old, initially arrived at her home along with his 16-year-old mother. The mother was eventually moved to another home, but it was her wish that her son remained in Oliver’s custody. Oliver expressed that the situation was bittersweet yet an unexpected blessing.
“He stole my heart! I say every day that if he’s only with me just one more day, I know that five months to where he is now has been a positive experience and that he’s loved and knows love and knows what love feels like, which is rewarding for me,” shared Oliver.
The Garcia-Anderson family added, “Being a parent is so rewarding, so to have our babies is a rewarding feeling every day!”
We are fortunate to have the Oliver and Garcia-Anderson families in the CHRIS 180 community. Their willingness to step up and provide children with stable and nurturing homes is inspiring.
Becoming a foster parent is an enriching experience that allows you to make a difference in the lives of children and families in need and grow as an individual. If you have the capacity and desire to grow your family, fostering can be a rewarding way to do so
Are you ready to open your heart and home? Our Foster Care and Adoptions team works to approve and support new and existing foster and/or adoptive parents seeking to help children and sibling groups in state custody. To learn more about our services, click here or contact us at fosterandadopt@CHRIS180.org.
