Bethany Durham

Even before she began fostering, Jennifer was no stranger to opening her home to children in need. As a young mother, her teen children would bring home other kids who were struggling with their home lives and needed a safe place to stay. Jennifer’s outgoing nature and background as a teacher meant that other kids and young adults often gravitated to her home.

From the time she was born, it seemed that all the odds were stacked against Summer. She grew up with a mom who had an addiction to substances, so Summer took on the role of caring for her younger siblings.

Children in therapeutic foster can deal with more challenges due to experiencing trauma, making the path to finding their place in the world more complex.

COVID has resulted in the displacement of people from their homes, jobs and the lives they once knew. This was the case for Todd, who had trouble finding work and was evicted from his home. Things started looking up for Todd and his children when he got connected with Catholic Charities and stayed at the Emergency Shelter in Flagstaff, Ariz. With the help of his case manager and the Rapid Rehousing program, he was able to secure a place to live before his kids started school.

Although foster care is one of the most rewarding journeys to be a part of, it’s not always an easy one. Being a foster parent means providing compassion, patience and unconditional love to children who are often working through trauma. Some of our Northern Arizona foster parents were honored with Courage for Children Awards for going above and beyond for their kiddos!