Become a Foster Parent

Foster Love, Foster Hope, Foster Today

On any given day in Illinois, there are more than 16,000 children in foster care. About 3,000 of these children are waiting for permanent adoptive homes.

Children are placed in foster care when their parents or guardians are unable to safely care for them. These young people need stable, loving foster homes until they can safely reunite with their families or find a forever family through adoption.

Not 100% sure you have what it takes to be a foster parent? We encourage you to contact us anyway. Our free foster parent training classes will offer the insights and information you need to make an informed decision. Sign up using the form to the right.

Hephzibah Foster Parents Share Their Thoughts about Foster Care

Many caring adults who would make great foster parents never act on their desire to help a child in need. Why? Because they’re afraid they won’t measure up. Love that could be shared isn’t — and many foster children go without homes. To give you a better idea of what it’s really like to share your home and your love with a foster child, we’ve polled our most dedicated Hephzibah foster parents. Here’s some of the wisdom they shared:

Foster parents are not in it for the money.

“People who think it’s about the money don’t understand what it takes to help an abused child heal. Our education and training never ends.”

You don’t have to be perfect.

“No matter how bad my day might be, my foster child’s love for me never wavers.”

Single parents can do this.

“You have more support as a single foster parent than you do as a single biological parent because Hephzibah is always there to offer guidance and support.”

Patience works wonders.

“Foster children don’t always understand what’s happening to them or know how to behave, but they’re trying their best to do the right thing. Patience and love can transform these children in amazing ways.”

The whole family can benefit.

“Having a foster child in the house has taught our entire family compassion, generosity and tolerance.”

Foster kids are like other kids.

“Foster kids want to be liked and respected, have friends and feel secure and cared for — just like any other kid.”

You will have enough love to go around.

“What surprised me most about being a foster parent is how much I could love children who weren’t mine by birth.”

The rewards outweigh everything else.

“When children come to us hurting and frightened, it brings us great joy to watch their pain go away, listen to their dreams and see them begin to believe in a better future.”

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