A Foster Child's Story
''Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.'' (Paul to the Hebrews. Heb.13:2)
Table of ContentsWhy I'm a Foster Child
As of 23 Sep 1998, you are:
My name is Baby Ben Cartwright, and I'm a foster child born in April 1995.
I was taken from my mother at birth, due to her cocaine problems. I started in the care of a wonderful family that has loved and watched over me since I was 11 days old. The Gary Smith family has been a wonderful foster family. I am now with my aunt Mary and my 2 sisters and brother in Tennessee.
To encourage others to become foster parents. There are so many of us out there that need a safe and loving place, and so few places to go. The problem gets worse as many mothers turn to crack and other drugs to "solve" their problems.
Many children come with severe problems, some physical, many emotional. For example, the Smiths cared for a couple of children last year who required much emotional help. The boy required Ritalin due to Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Their mother would abandon them from time to time, shacking up with any man that would come around. They also have an older sister who is now in special care. When she was ten, her mother "gave" her to the mother's boyfriend.
Why people can be so cruel to the ones they beget is beyond me, but I do know that the problem is there and won't go away unless loving, responsible grown-ups step in and become foster parents.
How do you become a foster
parent?
There is more info at the Foster Parent's Home Page.
Or contact your local Department of Human Resources/Services (DHR/DHS). They will be excited to hear from you. They will conduct a few interviews and check your home for safety. Most children have a living stipend, so you don't have to pay for the child's needs out of your own pocket.
You can also mail my foster parent, Gary Smith at: geraldsmith @juno.com
I hope you will become a foster parent. Without the Smiths
and aunt Mary, I don't know
where I would be today. But because of them, I smile and laugh,
and know that I am loved.
Links to other sites on the Web
Yahoo's Foster Parent Page
U.S.
Foster Parent Home Page
Gary Smith, Ben's Foster Parent's Home Page
Canadian Foster Parent Home Page
Australian Foster Parent Home
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