Lead Clinical Specialist A’Nadia Anderson recruits and supports foster parents for an Upstate foster agency. So, when the 38-year-old, with her husband Desmond, decided to fulfill her own dream of becoming a foster parent, she felt well prepared. However, the reality of fostering – especially fostering a teen – came with some surprises. “I used … Read more
“You’re the best mommy I could ever ask for.” When 12-year-old Kylie first spoke those words to Epworth foster mom Jennifer Rule months ago, Jennifer nearly cried. It was, she said, a ‘melt’ moment. “A melt moment is when we know we’re getting to them and they are getting to us,” Jennifer said. Along with … Read more
Ripley, a 35- year-old divorced mom from the Upstate, works 50-60 hours a week at two jobs to provide for her daughters, 7-year-old Ivy and 14-year-old Emma. She is also attending school part-time to improve her earning potential. Ripley struggles to balance financial pressures with the need to spend quality time with her children. Like … Read more
By the time Mandy and her siblings were taken into foster care, the 16-year-old lagged nearly two grades behind her peers. She often found herself simply too exhausted to go to school. Instability at home had left Mandy with the day-to-day responsibility of looking after her six brothers and sisters. The teen also worked a … Read more
Many people recall childhood as a time of safety and comfort when mom or dad took care of everything. Eighteen-year-old Lily carries starkly different memories of childhood. “My dad was hugely addicted to alcohol,” Lily said. “He would promise to work and pay the bills, and he’d have a job for a couple of weeks, … Read more
David* is a leader, a young man regarded by his peers at Epworth as someone to emulate, a friend to look up to. He is a hard worker with his mind set on a future that will lead to a career in science. David is also industrious, always looking for things to do to help … Read more
Written By A Current Resident A wise person once told me not to be a byproduct of my circumstances, but to let my circumstances be a byproduct of me. At the time, I did not listen; I failed to realize that this advice would be the only thing I could think about in my darkest … Read more
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