Foster parents change the world: The Story of Daniel

It’s a tough job. And what job worth doing is easy?

Fostering children intends to give a whole new outlook on life, one where a child can learn to love themselves as well as others, find success, and swell a foster parent’s heart with pride.

“One Child at a Time” 

From The Next Door:

By Justine Ziegler

One child, one meaningful interaction, one positive experience at a time; foster parents change the world. 

Every May, National Foster Care Month, local foster care organizations like The Next Door honor their incredible foster parents and shine a spotlight on the enormous differences they make. 

The story below is one of the countless stories of hope and resilience foster parents play a part in every day. The young person’s name has been changed to protect their identity.

Daniel could’ve been just another sad statistic. Growing up on the tough streets of North Portland, he started getting in trouble at age 12.  He loved his family, and his parents did the best they could, but his home life was chaotic and positive role models were few and far between. Unfortunately, Daniel found role models who were dealing drugs, and they soon recruited him.  Although he was obviously bright, he soon dropped out of school.

By age 15, Daniel was selling cocaine on the streets. His criminal behavior and increasing substance abuse drove a wedge between him and his family. Daniel became a negative influence on his younger brothers and was forced to leave his home. Suddenly, he was on his own, left to make a life for himself with little support.

Eventually, Daniel was arrested, and he found himself in foster care. But he kept running away, always trying to return home to Portland. It was during one of these times that he was again arrested for drug possession, and Daniel was sent to a foster home in the Gorge through The Next Door.

When he arrived, Daniel spent the first few months being defiant and verbally aggressive. Over time, he realized that something significant was happening in his life that was quite unexpected. Daniel was building a close relationship with his foster parents. He saw the way they lived and the way they treated people, including him. Daniel began to see that he could have a different life. He realized that he’d kept returning to Portland because he cared deeply about his family and wanted to reconnect with them. Daniel began to set positive goals for himself, including graduating from high school, getting a job, and living free from the anxiety that went along with his former life.  With the help of his foster parents and The Next Door staff, Daniel realized that his old way of thinking and doing things had been taking him further away from the kind of person he really wanted to be.

Once he crossed that hurdle, there was no stopping him. Daniel completed The Next Door’s program, graduating with honors. With a whole new outlook and a new set of skills, he returned home to his biological family, where he went back to school and got a part-time job.

Currently, The Next Door, now in its 50th year serving the Gorge community, is seeking part-time foster parents. Lovingly referred to as Weekend Warriors, part-time respite foster parents host foster youth approximately one weekend each month, giving full-time foster parents some well-deserved downtime.

If you’ve ever thought about making a difference for foster children, full-time or part-time, now is the time. Call 541-308-2207 or visit nextdoorinc.org/fosterparent to learn more.