KANSAS: Hannah, a teenage girl, has navigated the foster care system three times in her young life, most recently re-entering after a placement failed several years ago. Hannah was originally brought in for neglect and physical abuse by her biological mother. Amidst these disruptions, she has grappled with the absence of a stable support system and a persistent search for belonging.
Emily, a Family Finding Advocate at Cornerstones of Care, an organization dedicated to finding permanent families for often-overlooked children in foster care, played a key role in Hannah’s case. Determined to uncover Hannah’s extended adoptive and biological family members and their whereabouts, Emily used the Connect Our Kids’ Family Connections tool to find answers.
Using Family Connections and the built-in People Search feature, Emily swiftly identified a placement with an extended adoptive family member and established connections with Hannah’s biological relatives in Colorado. This led to a 45-minute phone call with one of Hannah’s biological great-aunts, during which she relayed numerous family stories and helped fill in the missing pieces of Hannah’s heritage and childhood.
In the days following this call, Hannah was surprised and delighted that her great-aunt had mailed her several packages for her upcoming birthday. Inside, she found family heirlooms and a lengthy letter explaining the fascinating history of her family and their roots. However, the most sentimental gift was a photograph of her biological siblings, whom she didn’t know existed, smiling up at Hannah through the frame.
The sight of these faces made Hannah’s eyes well up with emotion. These glimpses into her past were a connection to a loving family she thought was gone. Despite not recalling her time with her biological family as a toddler, Hannah now carries a newfound sense of belonging and comfort, knowing that she has family who care about her.
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 Hannah? You can today by donating HERE.
*Name has been changed to protect privacy.
