The heart of LSF’s mission beats strongest through our foster parents. With compassion, patience and a deep sense of purpose, they provide stability and love to children in moments of crisis. The most devoted among them understand that fostering isn’t forever but the impact they make can last a lifetime.
At our second annual Foster Parent Appreciation Gala, held during National Foster Care Month, we honored 41 remarkable foster parents. We’re proud to highlight a few special caregivers whose dedication and commitment span a collective 100+ years of service.
Sonia Arroyo’s foster care started in 200, after an incident at her job working in a daycare impacted her in ways she couldn’t imagine. Two siblings attending the daycare were caught foraging through garbage to find food in one of the daycare trashcans. The young children were neglected, hungry and in need of a change.
“One of my friends stepped up to take one of the kids,” Sonia recalled. “The other needed a home, so I decided to step up and take them.” The children needed placement, and when others were unwilling to take them, Sonia opened her heart and her home.
That moment changed everything. From there, she began taking classes, getting licensed and accepting more children into her home. Sonia has now been a foster parent for over 25 years, fostering more than 100 children with placements lasting anywhere from one night to several years. She has become a lasting figure in so many of these children’s lives, building relationships that go the distance.
“I have former foster kids who are now in their 30s that remain in contact. They come for holidays, they bring their children and they still call me mom,” Sonia shared. “Even though they have real moms in their lives now, we still have each other for support.”
For those who consider fostering, Sonia’s advice is simple. “If you have the space, give them a chance.”
With a heart that bleeds for infants and toddlers, Karen Ramos has cared for hundreds of children. Since becoming licensed in 2014, Karen has had as many as eight children in her home at once. Despite the crowded household, Karen always makes room for fun. She believes that every baby should start out happy, so her home is often filled with music, laughter and the tender care required to give traumatized, frightened children a place to grow healthy and happy.
“I always try to make the kids happy, that’s my number one goal,” Karen said. “They deserve to be happy and have fun and just be kids. We sing songs together. We smile. Every child should feel cared for and loved.”
Karen, who worked in daycares for 22 years before fostering, once cared for over 200 children in a single year. Despite the large responsibility and stress that can accompany that much work, Karen has found joy in the small day to day moments.
“The joy for me is seeing the happy smiles and watching them go from being miserable to having a lightness,” Karen shared. “Things as a small as a hug or a good morning are nice for me to receive.”
Mary Ihde’s foster care journey began in 1994 after completing MAPPS training. For the past 16 years, she has fostered with LSF and has become a steadfast and nurturing presence. While her 31 years of fostering is impressive enough, Mary goes above and beyond to open her home for emergency placements and is known for responding to any call for help with a willing heart.
“I strive to give the children in my care a place of solitude, but also a place of fun,” Mary said. “We are a very active foster family, we take a lot field trips to places like the zoo or the movies. I love seeing the kids faces when they experience something new for the first time.”
For Mary, the biggest reward from fostering is the light returning to a child’s eyes. The slow but steady progress she witnesses as they heal. And more than anything, the beautiful moments of family reunification. “Nothing compares to the joy of seeing a child and a rehabilitated parent reunify,” Mary explained.
“Providing foster care can be challenging, but it is rewarding,” she said. “It’s all about loving a child through a difficult situation.”
We believe that foster care is about so much more than just providing a bed and a home. It is about building a bridge and allowing children to cross it. When a foster parent opens their home, they strive to take a child out of a negative situation, give them all the love and joy of a biological parent and eventually watch them go back home to that parent. The most impactful foster parents, like the ones profiled here, understand that the goal is reunification, not replacement.
To our honored families, and the thousands of others across our state and country, we extend our deepest gratitude. You have not only opened your homes, but you’ve opened your hearts. You truly change lives.
To learn more about becoming a foster parent with LSF, visit https://www.lsffamilyfocus.org/foster-parenting-lsf-family-focus/
