BUILDING A YOUNG LEADER: Leroy Berrones-Soto
By Leonard Favela Twenty-year-old Leroy Berrones-Soto sits attentively in one of his undergraduate classes at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). Coming from where he’s come, to sit in this class, on this college campus, he knows is an accomplishment. In the back of his mind, Leroy knows he’s come a long way. Leroy […]
Local student once in foster care shares ideas with Rep. Farenthold
By Jane Caffrey CORPUS CHRISTI A local college student, once in the foster care system, has returned from a trip to Capitol Hill. Christina Tyler went there to talk about the challenges young people face when they get too old for foster care. Tyler is a living success story. She was in six foster care […]
John Devine
I am 23 years old, and I was in the foster care system in Los Angeles and Riverside County. I was placed in the foster care system at 12 years old because my mother passed away. Over time, and as I was going through foster care, I also witnessed 11 more of my family members […]
Buchanan Introduces Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Strengthen America’s Families
JUNE 13, 2016 — PRESS RELEASES HUMAN RESOURCES WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Ways and Means Human Resources Subcommittee Chairman Vern Buchanan (R-FL) led a bipartisan group of Committee members to introduce the Family First Prevention Services Act(H.R. 5456). The legislation will keep more children safely at home and out of inappropriate foster […]
Foster kids gather in Capitol
SUTHERLIN — Garrett Hoppe of Sutherlin joined about 100 foster youth from around the country from May 23 to 25 who participated in the Congressional Foster Youth Shadow Program in Washington, D.C. Hoppe participated in three days of education, advocacy and relationship building with a goal of improving and strengthening the child welfare system across […]
Annika Taber
Learn Annika’s Story I was placed into foster care because of my father’s domestic violence against my mother and me. My dad was very violent. The cops would come and I would scream bloody murder. Eventually my mom left him. My dad ended up moving to Indiana and we were going to move with him, […]
ABC Students Meets with TN Congressman Jim Cooper
American Baptist College’s Chelsea Clark (’18) had the pleasure of meeting TN Congressman Jim Cooper last month in May, National Foster Care Month. Congressman Cooper, a longtime advocate of adoption and foster care reform, believes that government has a role to play in helping the nation’s children. Which is why a few years back he […]
UTRGV students share experiences during Congressional Foster Youth Shadow Program
By Cheryl Taylor RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – JUNE 8, 2016 – Carlie Patrick and Leroy Berrones Soto, students at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, returned from Washington, D.C., feeling they had contributed to improving and strengthening the child welfare system in the United States. Patrick, a junior English/communication studies major, and Berrones […]
Haslam appoints six Hamilton County residents to state boards
NASHVILLE — Gov. Bill Haslam on Monday announced appointments of 120 Tennesseans —including six from Hamilton County — to dozens of state boards and commissions. “These Tennesseans are giving their time and talents to help make our state better,” the governor said in a news release. “I am grateful for their willingness to serve and […]
Kaysie Getty
Learn Kaysie’s Story I am 24 years old. I spent 7 years in the foster care system in New Jersey, from 14 to 21, so I aged out. I lived in foster homes, residential facilities, group homes, transitional living homes and eventually ended my foster care stay in an independent living program. Luckily I was […]