NEVADA: Winona*, a victim of medical neglect and food scarcity, entered foster care due to allegations of domestic violence and sexual abuse. She also has a medical condition that, if left unmanaged, causes illness.
The lack of consistent food in Winona’s life has caused her to hoard food and lie about what she has eaten. This further complicates her care and has resulted in multiple hospitalizations and foster care placements.
Her recent foster family is a good placement. They have been supportive and consistent with her medication, but it’s temporary. When Winona’s Youth Advocate used the Connect Our Kids technology platform, she identified many relatives who could not manage the complexities of her medical condition.
Winona’s advocate expanded her search to include community contacts and located Carla, Winona’s mother’s stepsister. Carla, a trauma-informed nurse who works in the medical field, is uniquely qualified to care for Winona. The two women began to build a relationship slowly, and now Carla is in the process of finalizing guardianship for Winona.
Connect Our Kids is a non-profit dedicated to leveraging technology to find families, build connections, and create a community for children in the foster care system. Want to help more children like Winona? You can today by donating HERE.
*Name has been changed to protect privacy.
