Authored by: Teresa Cocker, Chief Program Officer
Three years ago, I started a new job. I had accepted a position at Norris and was tasked with developing a therapeutic foster care program. I was leaving a position that I had become comfortable in, overseeing a strong, capable team of 50 staff, to take a position where I would be a team of one. I was both excited and nervous – excited to be able to take what I had learned to develop what I believed to be a strong program and nervous about the pressure of what taking this on would mean.
My initial goal had been to license one home in the first year and I soon realized that on top of foster parent recruitment being challenging in the best of circumstances, it is compounded when you have a new program with little name recognition. I re-evaluated and set a new goal of licensing 5 homes by May 2020.
3 years in review:
6210 work hours (and then some!).
630 community engagement efforts.
142 community events attended.
16 community trainings offered.
225 people inquiring to learn more about becoming foster parents.
5 foster homes licensed.
I am proud of what I have accomplished over the past three years and am grateful to all of the families I have met, especially the five who stepped up, applied, and became licensed as therapeutic foster parents. We are now able to make a difference in the lives of a few more children who need temporary safe homes.
And of course, we do not want to stop there! We are continuing our efforts to find more families to join our team by becoming foster or respite foster families because there continues to be a need, right here in southeastern Wisconsin.
If you or anyone you know is interested in joining our team, building connections and impacting the life of a child, call 262-222-2000, email tfc@norriscenter.org or visit http://www.norriscenter.org/become-a-foster-parent/become_a_foster_parent/
Connecting Families, Changing Lives. Connections Matter. Become a Foster Parent.
