Foster Child Legal/ Adoption Fund
Donation protected
In January of 2015 we got a call around 9:30 PM.
Child Protective Services- “Remember that little girl we talked to you about?
Matt & Bobby-“Yea, you couldn’t find her because the mother ran”
CPS- “Right. Well, we found her. Are you all still interested?”
M&B- “Sure. When will you bring her over? Tomorrow morning?”
CPS-“No, in 10 minutes”
M&B-“………………………...................................................….”
CPS –“are you there?”
M&B- ‘Yea, yea we’re here. Bring her over”
We opened the door and saw this little girl bundled up in a sweatshirt, a 16 month old beauty. We lifted the hood from her face and her gorgeous blue eyes stared back at us. We instantly fell in love.
They gave us 4 diapers and a car seat soaked with urine and left. After a $300 midnight trip to Walgreen’s we thought we had what we needed for the night.
She was almost catatonic when we got her, she hoarded food, and we couldn’t get the cigarette smoke smell out of her hair for three days.
We became foster parents to be a soft place for children to land.
We became foster parents to fill that need in us to nurture.
We became foster parents to be there for parents who just need a little time to get it together.
We became foster parents to help.
Fast forward to the present. Our foster child has been with us for 22 months and by the time we go back to court for the final permanency hearing, it will be almost two years. She has become a funny, smart, independent “big girl”- in her words.
Department of Social Services has given the mother chance after chance after chance to make good decisions. However, she spends her time figuring out how to lie and fool Social Services.
On the surface she appears to be doing everything right. We have evidence to the contrary but DSS says “Well, we didn’t see it”. They are not doing their due diligence and refuse to look at what we have.
DSS is set up with the main focus of family re-unification, not what is in the best interest of the child. We don’t agree with them returning this girl to her mom. We believe she would be safer with us.
Asking for help is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, but I am putting my ego aside for the sake of a little girl’s safety and untold potential.
We have a lawyer who comes highly recommended and has done amzing work so far, but his fees are not in our budget at this time and far exceed what was expected.
Please help us fight the good fight and keep our little family together.
Thank You.
Child Protective Services- “Remember that little girl we talked to you about?
Matt & Bobby-“Yea, you couldn’t find her because the mother ran”
CPS- “Right. Well, we found her. Are you all still interested?”
M&B- “Sure. When will you bring her over? Tomorrow morning?”
CPS-“No, in 10 minutes”
M&B-“………………………...................................................….”
CPS –“are you there?”
M&B- ‘Yea, yea we’re here. Bring her over”
We opened the door and saw this little girl bundled up in a sweatshirt, a 16 month old beauty. We lifted the hood from her face and her gorgeous blue eyes stared back at us. We instantly fell in love.
They gave us 4 diapers and a car seat soaked with urine and left. After a $300 midnight trip to Walgreen’s we thought we had what we needed for the night.
She was almost catatonic when we got her, she hoarded food, and we couldn’t get the cigarette smoke smell out of her hair for three days.
We became foster parents to be a soft place for children to land.
We became foster parents to fill that need in us to nurture.
We became foster parents to be there for parents who just need a little time to get it together.
We became foster parents to help.
Fast forward to the present. Our foster child has been with us for 22 months and by the time we go back to court for the final permanency hearing, it will be almost two years. She has become a funny, smart, independent “big girl”- in her words.
Department of Social Services has given the mother chance after chance after chance to make good decisions. However, she spends her time figuring out how to lie and fool Social Services.
On the surface she appears to be doing everything right. We have evidence to the contrary but DSS says “Well, we didn’t see it”. They are not doing their due diligence and refuse to look at what we have.
DSS is set up with the main focus of family re-unification, not what is in the best interest of the child. We don’t agree with them returning this girl to her mom. We believe she would be safer with us.
Asking for help is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, but I am putting my ego aside for the sake of a little girl’s safety and untold potential.
We have a lawyer who comes highly recommended and has done amzing work so far, but his fees are not in our budget at this time and far exceed what was expected.
Please help us fight the good fight and keep our little family together.
Thank You.
Organizer
Bobby Belfry
Organizer
Nyack, NY
