Over 270 Family Connections Found for Sibling Group
OHIO: Two years ago, a sibling set of three children, ages 8-13, entered the foster care system because of abuse and neglect. Their parents had moved around for most of the children’s lives, further isolating them from other family members. Eventually, the children were able to reunify with their mother. However, this reunification did not […]
Connect Our Kids and CASA Help Neglected Little Girl Find A Loving Forever Home
TEXAS/OHIO: Little Anna* used to go to school wearing soiled clothing and tattered shoes. Fearing that Anna would be ridiculed, her teachers would take her aside before class, clean her up, comb her hair, change her clothes and give her new socks and shoes. They also reported her neglect. The school’s reports, along with abuse allegations, led […]
Teen Reunites With Long-Lost Mom & Aunt
OHIO: Leon* entered foster care on two separate occasions. The first time he was infant when his young single mother, who had little support, struggled to care for him. She was a high school drop out with two other young children and was overwhelmed. She relinquished her parental rights and entrusted Leon’s care to a family friend, hoping to give him a better life.
Basketball Coach Adopts Former Player
OHIO: Haley* wants to be a regular kid. She doesn’t want to live in facilities with residential staff or go to court because of her family’s problems. Instead, she wants to make friends, have sleepovers, get a driver’s license and play sports at school without waiting for court approval. Haley wants to live the same kind of life that kids outside of foster care live. Haley longs for normalcy.
Teen Boy Reunites with His Long-Lost Mother
OHIO: Ryan’s father was not in the picture for the first seven years of his life, but his mother was. They spent every day together and took lots of photos, and life was good until Ryan’s mother, who was young and single, went through a tough time and didn’t have the means or family to support him. With few options, she relied on a childless married couple who offered to adopt Ryan and convinced her they could give her a son a better life. They had a lovely house and loved Ryan, so it seemed like a good idea.
Once Angry, Teen is Now Open to Adoption
OHIO: Daniel* was angry and frustrated as a teenager, and his “story” was “there are no good people in my life.” He spent more than a year in foster care because everyone he knew was either in prison or suffering from mental health issues.
Olive Now Has an Aunt and Uncle in Her Life
OHIO: Olive* is a teenager who has been in foster care for a very long time. When a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids® (WWK) recruiter received her case, the recruiter saw that the particular aunt and uncle could be valuable connections for Olive, but no one could find their correct contact information. It had been a frustrating experience for all those who had previously tried to track down this couple, especially knowing that they could potentially be in Olive’s life permanently.
Technology Makes A Surprising Connection
OHIO: Jenny* has been in foster care for years. She has spent birthdays and holidays not knowing her biological family is or where they might be located.
Relatives Found and Hard Conversations Made Easier
OHIO: A sibling group of four was referred to the Kinnect To Family program after a placement disruption. Their lives are currently in limbo and time is of the essence. The ones old enough to be aware of what’s going on don’t know what’s going to happen to them.
Teen with Lack of Faith in Families Finds a Connection
KENTUCKY/OHIO: Fifteen-year-old Starr* was pretty much done with family when Connect Our Kids came into her life.