Fostering Heroes
By Brianna Carter
Any parent will tell you it takes a village to support the healthy growth of their children . From grandparents and aunts and uncles to cousins and friends that are family , it ’ s those bonds of love and care that carry through in celebrations and crises . For foster children , those hero helpers may look a bit different . While foster parents open their homes to children , providing comfort and a sense of stability , there are still many holes that need to be filled to effectively provide for the complete needs of a child in foster care . We ’ ve found some local organizations who give it their all to support these children and their families and to help them get essentials and feel the warmth of home .
In Florida , foster care is privatized , operated by an organization in the county , usually a nonprofit . St . Johns is the only county in the state where operations are handled by the county , which has perks and disadvantages . One downside is the inability to fundraise , notes Aubrie Simpson-Gotham , founder and CEO of Fostering Connections , a non-profit that serves St . Johns , Volusia , Flagler and Putnam counties .
During her teaching career , Simpson-Gotham noticed huge gaps in the system for children , especially kids in foster care . After working for a non-profit , she was determined to find a way to fill the voids . “ There weren ’ t a lot of services in the area [ where I was teaching ] and the students needed more ,” she says . In 2019 , with the support of her own friends , she decided to fill those gaps herself through Fostering Connections .
Although resources and supplies , like laptops and school supplies , are part of the programming offered by Fostering Connections , they strive to provide access to items that aren ’ t covered by stipends and Medicaid . “ There are a lot of potholes in the services for kids . Things like contact lenses aren ’ t provided for , or braces ,” notes Simpson-Gotham .
In addition to offering grants for these needs , Simpson- Gotham says it ’ s access to education and mentorship that are the most crucial needs she sees . To fill that void , Fostering Connections has a program called Career Readiness Academy . It is the cornerstone of the nonprofit ’ s mission . “ It ’ s heartbreaking to see what these kids are going through . But it ’ s inspiring to open doors and open life for them and show them opportunities . It ’ s rewarding .”
One recent effort to acquire permanent transportation for a young man to get to work is particularly memorable for Simpson-Gotham . “ It totally changed what was available to him .”
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