Finding Forever Families for Youth in LA County

In June of 2018, we reported on Ty, a foster child in Los Angeles who was about to turn 17.  More than anything, he wanted a family.  

Ty’s early years were spent living with his grandmother. But when she could no longer care for him, he was moved to someone’s home where there were problems, and he ran away.  Picked up by the police, he was moved into a group home. “It was like being alone,” he said of the group home. “No one is listening. No matter how much they try to make it feel like home, it isn’t. A home has parents. Being in a group home made me realize how much I wanted a family.”

This articulate young man spoke in front of hundreds of people at Kidave’s fundraising gala in that summer. That evening, he touched the hearts of a couple in the audience -- Mo and Jessica. They already had two sons – one who was exactly Ty’s age – and they made the decision to have Ty move in with them and give him a fresh start. Over the next few months the family got to know Ty.  They took him to wresting camp – an annual event for the family. Ty had never been in the ocean, but they taught him how to surf! They had countless dinners together, spent hours doing homework, and just lived a normal family life.

Ty turned 18 recently and got the best present ever – a permanent family committed to him now and for the rest of his life.  Ty is of the ten foster kids featured in a documentary to air on the A&E Network on Sunday, Sept. 8 from 10 am to 3 pm Eastern time.  Tune in to, “The Day I Picked My Parents,” to hear more of his story and the process Kidsave uses to introduce older foster youth to potential parents.

Links:

• About Hosting a Child
• About Kidsave
• About the need