NoCo Non-Profit Needs Foster Parents for Colorado Kids in Need

While many of us have grown up with our birth parents, other children aren't so lucky.

In fact, according to Specialized Alternatives for Families & Youth (SAFY), over 5,000 Colorado children were in the foster care system in 2019.

Thankfully, organizations like SAFY work to help these children and create strong, stable families.

"Our goal as an agency is that, whenever possible, kiddos are being raised in homes in the community," said Carley Clark, Foster Parent Recruiter for SAFY, in our "Tuned In to NoCo" interview. "We know that a lot of youth who experience trauma end up in like hospital or residential settings, and while there's absolutely a place and a need for that, we want that to be short-term because we think that healing really happens at home."

However, this can't happen without the help of foster parents.

And unfortunately, the pandemic has made it harder for SAFY to reach out to potential parents due to safety restrictions.

But even in a pandemic, foster parenting can still be a beautiful journey that greatly impacts the life of a child in need, especially with the support of organizations like SAFY.

"To see a child achieve permanency...we just believe that every child deserves that. When we get to connect these kiddos to a forever family, that is like the most beautiful thing in the world," said Clark. "And to see other folks who have these open hearts for kids watch their families grow by bringing in new kiddos...it is so special. The moments of healing that children have in a foster home, they can be so tiny and so impactful."

Single, married, or unmarried partners of all creeds and sexual orientations are eligible to become foster parents. If you are interested, you can get more information here. 

To learn more about SAFY and the importance of foster parenting, listen to the full "Tuned In to NoCo" interview with Carley Clark below.