NAMPA, Idaho — The non-profit Foster + Heart is helping more siblings stay together as they make their way through the foster system. Their goal is to provide a safe and comfortable home.
"When they walk in the doors, no matter what's going on, in their life outside of here that they feel loved, and they feel supported," Foster + Heart Founder Kate Wilson said.
The mission of the nonprofit is to help fill in the gaps.
"One of the ways that we meet the needs of children, foster care, we have homes that are designed to take on sibling sets,” Wilson said.
Their first location is in Meridian and named Mimi’s House. Wilson credits the opening of the new home (Bubba’s Home) to the success of Mimi’s House.
"It's been amazing. we've had so many kids come through,” Wilson said.
In the matter of hours the house was filled up. Wilson said one of the biggest challenges in foster care is getting families to foster older children or siblings.
"There's no families or general foster homes that are willing and able to take on large sibling groups."
That is where the nonprofit steps in.
"When they enter into care, to keep them together, and to make a safe loving environment for them as they journey through foster care until they can get home,” said Wilson.
It is something Secilia Bedolla said she wished she had when she went into foster care with her siblings in 2018.
"I had called the police on my mom for child abuse on both me and my two little brothers. And went into care,” Bedolla said.
Shortly after she entered foster care, she was separated from her siblings. She said being separated from her siblings was the hardest part.
“My little brothers were not to a family out in mountain home. I went out and family in Boise,” said Bedolla. "It was really hard being separated from my little brothers because I was mom."
She is now a team member of the nonprofit. Right now, Foster Idaho reports more than 1,500 children in foster care.
"They don't know what the future holds,” said Wilson. "I there's just a lot of kids across the state of Idaho who are in need of homes right now."
The children in foster care can be up to 21 years old. More specifically 58 children ages 18-21; 405, 14-17 years old; 499, 6-13; and 564, 0-5 years old.
As far as foster families, the need is growing. Wilson said there is also a challenge with those who do foster.
“There is a need for people who are willing to take on sibling groups and kids above the age of five, or even teenagers."
Until more foster families can help, Wilson and Bedolla say they will continue to pay it forward.
"I want to be that example, you know, to the kids to be like, this can turn into this,” said Bedolla.
They said they will continue to help children with each and everyone of their loving homes.
"We just want to be here to meet that need for kids entering into foster care,” Wilson said.
Wilson said location number 3 is on the way for 2024, but they need your help to get there with donations.
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