Victor FFA Blog

It’s no secret that many foster children experience trauma and hardship. There are so many children in need of a stable and loving home, it could be easy to think, “Well how can I do anything to combat all that?” The truth is, by providing a safe home and loving home, you can change a child’s world, and even an entire family’s life.

Meet Mich Hamlin. Mich went from homelessness, to foster care, to graduating from University of Southern California with his doctorate in physical therapy. He hopes his story will be an inspiration to other foster children. We hope it can be an encouragement to foster parents as well.

Mich’s Childhood

Up until middle school, Mich, along with his parents and two brothers, were homeless. They slept wherever they could, including parks and behind dumpster bins, though his family did have a car. His parents suffered from alcoholism and when his mother showed up drunk to pick him up from school, he and his siblings were placed into foster care.

There is humor in the conception that moms just want a day off on Mother’s Day, but on Father’s Day dads want to be out and doing something as a family. This actually fits well with the roles that father figures play in child development, even in foster care.

One of our Victor FFA Hemet foster families, the Sanchez family, was named Resource Family of the Year by the Riverside Department of Public Social Services during National Foster Care Month. What makes the Sanchezes especially unique this month, is that Derrick is a stay-at-home father, and they are fostering 4 boys while raising their own teenage son.

Celebrating Foster Care and Mental Health Awareness Month

Foster Care Awareness Month is probably our favorite month of the year.  Everyone is talking about how they can support foster children!

April is both Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Awareness month. We want to join the voices in bringing awareness to these issues as they are close to our hearts.

There is a chance that in your journey as a foster parent, you may be placed with a child who has been sexually assaulted or abused.

According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), 1 in 9 girls and 1 in 53 boys under the age of 18 experience sexual abuse or assault.

It's Social Worker Appreciation Month

When you think of social workers, what comes to mind? Is it the image of someone helping the community? Or someone pouring over files at a desk at your county office? Maybe you think of your friend who is a social worker or maybe you think about the social worker who has helped you.

Foster parenting is parenting. Like any parent, you experience ups and downs when raising your children. You have financial, emotional, and time commitments just like you do for a child who is born into your household. 

The good days far outweigh the bad, but foster parenting comes with some unique ups and downs that you should know about so you can be prepared to handle or celebrate them accordingly.  

While we may celebrate different holidays at the same time of the year, there is a lot shared between us all when it comes to the spirit of the season. Your family may have a different spiritual or cultural background than your foster child.

Where some may see a challenge to prepare for, we think this is one of the hidden opportunities to demonstrate care and support. Because there are some values in the season that we all have in common, and incorporating them into your household during this time is a great way to bond with and celebrate the season as a family.

Holidays can stir up different emotions for foster children and Halloween can be particularly triggering due to the season being about frights and spookiness. We want to encourage all our foster families and help you celebrate during this time of year in whatever way feels best for you. 

How are You Doing?

We are a month or more into the school year and are very likely to continue working and learning from home for a while. If you don’t like what you’re seeing, we have some tips and resources that can help change your current reality into a better and potentially easier one.

Finances are one of the most important things to consider around foster care, but no one openly talks about them. There are many misunderstandings and poor portrayals of foster care when it comes to where money is concerned.

We want to set the record straight and give you more information so you can be more prepared as you decide if becoming a foster parent is right for you. Simply put, if you can support your household and those in it currently, you can afford fostering.

When you spend your dollars on a foster child, it’s less about making purchases and more about making an investment.