May is National Foster Care Awareness Month and an excellent time to recognize the difference our Tioga County foster parents are making for the children placed in their homes.
Don and Devra Johnson of Spencer joined the Tioga County Foster Care team in September 2015 and received their first placement, a teenage boy, that same day. Don and Devra started to consider foster care when their youngest child was in his junior year of high school.
Devra stated, “We have love and space to share.” The Johnsons were used to having children in their home as they had hosted foreign exchange students for four years. The Johnsons report that the most rewarding part of becoming foster parents has been hearing from their foster child’s teachers how far he has come since the beginning of the school year, hearing from the youth that he is glad he came to live with them and that he loves them.
The Johnsons recognize how important their foster child’s family is and ensure that his family is actively involved in his life, even having the family to their home for his birthday. Don and Devra feel the biggest change for their family since starting foster care has been the fact that they always need to have someone available as their foster child has unique supervision needs.
This was a change, as their own children are adults and have not needed that level of supervision in a while. The most challenging part of being a foster parent has been trying to explain something to their foster child and him not willing to listen because “he knows,” but what teen doesn’t think they know everything. When asked if they have any advice for families considering foster care, Devra states, “Have a back-up for date nights with your spouse or for times when the child doesn’t want to participate.” With foster care, you need to plan for these times, just like you would with your own children.
Clover and Evan Perrotta of Owego became certified foster parents just over a year ago and are currently fostering a sibling group of three. Clover and Evan had friends who had fostered and decided this was a need they could help with.
Clover and Evan understand that becoming a foster family impacts everyone and therefore made sure their children, Trenton and Tammy, were part of that process.
The Perrottas report that the most rewarding part of becoming a foster family is knowing that the kids are safe and have more opportunities to participate in the same activities their peers do. The biggest change for their family has been trying to get all the kids to get along and find things the whole family is interested in.
Currently, all of the children are participating in baseball or softball and therefore Clover jokes that she is constantly running from one practice or game to the next. For Clover, while she acknowledges that becoming a foster family can be challenging, the biggest piece of advice she would offer to a family considering foster care is this, “Know there will be things you can’t fix and all you can do is be there to support both the children and their families.”
Tioga County has the best foster families. The Tioga County Department of Social Services would like to thank each foster family for making a difference in the lives of the children placed in their home.
“Tioga County Homes for Tioga County Kids” is a local effort to find more families able to meet the needs of each child in foster care. Children of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities are in need of families like the Johnsons and the Perrottas to care for them. If you have ever wanted to help children grow and develop to their fullest potential, May is a special month to consider becoming a foster parent.
For more information on how you can make a difference, contact Sarah Moore with Tioga County’s foster care program by calling (607) 687-8346 or via email to sarah.moore2@dfa.state.ny.us.
