Need to raise $6,000 to Bring JL Home

Over a year ago, my husband and I welcomed a teenage girl who was homeless to come join our home. Our passions are pets and kids. We adopted two kids ten years ago and know what is expected and we live in the same house so we can pass the inspections, etc. again if need be. We truly feel that we could and can help this young lady whose parents had fallen on hard times. For the past year, she has lived in our home. She has thrived. Her parents have stayed a part of her life to varying degrees but always connected.

Unfortunately, mom and dad were incarcerated recently which put JL's placement in our home in limbo since we had no legal paperwork. CPS got involved and determined that JL would be better elsewhere (bouncing around from place to place) without valid reasons / concerns. Mind you, we have always kept CPS in the loop because we are rule followers and never wanted to compromise our children's safety or JL's. Nevertheless, here we are. JL was taken away from the only safety / stability she has known for some time. She is not able to go to school consistently or work. She has health matters that cannot be managed well in a shelter / community placement environment.

Unfortunately, our pleas have fallen on deaf ears. We have consulted with legal counsel and have an attorney willing to take our case but the retainer is $5,000 which is not an amount of money we have easy access to especially right now. We will also need to become licensed again as a foster home which is add'l costs we believe. It has been several years so not sure how that has changed.

NEVER, have I ever done a GoFund me but we don't know what else to do. JL has been lost in the CPS (or similar organization in other states she has lived) many times and only detriment has occurred. With us, she has her own room, bathroom, her pets, her personal belongings, her stability. She goes to her dr. appts, work and school. Please help us bring JL back. Any excess funds can be returned to you happily OR we can put them in JL's college fund. I know it is an insane amount of money to need but that's the minimum per the attorney.