National Foster Care Day with Foster Village Charlotte

CHARLOTTE – A new family or additions to a family can bring changes that can intimidate anyone, but thanks to Foster Village and its founder Becky Santoro, foster families in charlotte can have an easier transition for both for parent and child.

“Our job is really to connect those dots and to bring people together because we know peer driven support is so important to make sure our foster families continue fostering so we do monthly support groups here,” Santoro says.

Not only does this organization plan events for its families, Foster Village also makes sure every child starting a new life in a new home has exactly what they need to begin a new journey.
“Typically when kids first enter care, they don’t come with their belongings,” says Santoro. “They’re coming to foster homes are really just with the clothes that they have on their back. It’s the foster families job to help them feel safe, welcome, and also make sure that they have the things that they need.”

People tend to think that starting your foster care journey could take time, but the opportunity could present itself much faster than you think once you’re approved to foster.

“When you say yes to being a foster parent, you usually have this a couple hours and you don’t know if that kid is coming as a one year old, a five year old, but their sizes are and so that’s really our time to come in and equipt them with the things that they need,” Santoro says.

According to fostercarecapactiy.com, there are more than 11,000 youths in foster care in North Carolina and 5,400 licensed foster homes, meaning more loving families are needed

“There’s a crisis in my back in our county and really across our nation have not enough foster home for the kids that are coming into care,” says Santoro. “So if you’re even curious about it, I would say take the first step.”