In a recent episode of the Foster Friendly Podcast, hosts Brian Mavis, Courtney Williams, and Travis Vangsnes answered recent listener submitted questions. This was a great way to delve into some of the complexities and emotional nuances of foster care.…
We can’t protect our children from every evil in the world, but what we can do is protect them from a specific group of people. — Krista Ritchie In a recent episode of the Foster Friendly Podcast, hosts Brian Mavis and Courtney William engaged in a…
If you’re considering becoming a foster parent, one of the biggest milestones on the journey is the home study. Just hearing the phrase can make people nervous. However, a home study isn’t designed to intimidate you. It’s designed to prepare,…
This post is part of our podcast series on Go Upstream. In Episode 1, we set the stage with the heart behind the book and the vision for a world where every child belongs. “It is easier to build strong…
“Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it.” Marian Anderson The Foster Friendly Podcast was excited to welcome the recent guest, Rapid City Mayor Jason Salumun to the show. Jason…
Kelly and Tracie Ward were recent guests on the Foster Friendly Podcast. The Wards are a compassionate and visionary couple deeply committed to fostering and adoption and have opened their hearts and home to numerous children. In the past two years…
In a recent episode of the Foster Friendly Podcast, Danny and Ashley Smith shared their journey engaging foster care and reflected on insights learned along the way. Interestingly, their fostering journey began not with a calling, but with practicality—a job…
A recent episode of The Foster Friendly Podcast featured a lively conversation around America’s Kids Belong’s new and exciting initiative called “Fostering Front Door.” Indiana Kids Belong State Manager, Laura Mobley joined the podcast and shared the vision behind this…
“When the elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers.” African Proverb Brian Mavis expounded on this quote in a recent episode of the Foster Friendly Podcast: “When the big sectors, when they’re not cooperating with each other and they’re not…
Being in foster care often means a child is living through a painful story, suspended in time; awaiting uncertain outcomes; dealing with layers of trauma; commonly facing separation from siblings; coping with other layers loss (even if temporarily) of extended…
(Guest blog- Abby Crooks) Have you ever played in the ocean and you’re floating and diving in the waves and then suddenly when you look up you’re nowhere near your friends and family on shore where you got in? As…
Insights from birth children in a foster/adoptive home “What if this ruins his life?” I understand the question. It’s one my husband and I struggled with at the beginning of our fostering journey shortly after our first child was born. …
