Motherhood comes in many forms. At LFCS, we make every effort to serve women in their role as mothers – biological moms, adoptive moms, foster moms, grandmothers, and other women who are raising the youngest generation. Creating, sharing and improving motherhood is what we do so that children can have the best lives possible.
Sarah, LFCS Foster Mom
Think of the very best moments of your childhood. Remember the people who were there? Of course you do. What makes occasions so special isn’t what you do, necessarily, but who’s by your side with love and support.
Sadly, thousands of Missouri children do not have many fond memories. They don’t feel safe, secure, or at peace in their own family — much less loved.
Thankfully, because of your past kindness, Lutheran Family and Children’s Services is fulfilling its promise to care for those kids who need us most. Because of you, we are able to place neglected and abused children in loving families where they can begin to heal from a lifetime of past hurts.
Sarah, a foster parent with LFCS, received our call about four siblings in need of a safe home. From 18 months to 9 years old, the children were discovered confined in a bedroom
of their mother’s run down house. Their bruises, hunger, and malnourishment were evident hidden were deeper emotional wounds. Sarah could see that even one healthy meal, a warm bath, a loving hug and good night’s sleep might be something these little ones had never before enjoyed. Sarah opened her heart, and her home. Their long journey to healing began.
May is National Foster Care Month. I invite you to take this occasion to join the LFCS family of generous donors. Many of our donors give back in gratitude, “paying forward” the compassion and care they themselves received from LFCS! Gifts of every size are needed to help us rescue more neglected and abused children living across Missouri.
Doshie, LFCS Pregnancy & Parenting Services Client
Doshie found LFCS at the age of twenty-four. At the time she was homeless, unable to work, and receiving disability benefits because she had been shot multiple times in the leg. Doshie was also pregnant with her first child and not prepared for motherhood.
Through LFCS Pregnancy Services, Doshie learned about caring for an infant while working towards goals she had set for herself. Doshie knew she wanted to provide a better life for her baby than the one she had. She also aspired to go back to school.
After giving birth to a healthy baby boy, Doshie began taking college classes and transitioned into the LFCS Parenting program. When the baby was old enough, she looked for work that would allow for breaks from standing for long periods of time. She eventually found two part-time positions to provide for herself and her son. With her new income, Doshie was also able to secure housing for the first time. Although being a single mother was very challenging, Doshie felt proud of all that she had accomplished in such a short amount of time. LFCS continued to offer support with regular counseling sessions and by providing clothing, formula and diapers, as well as occasional rent and utility assistance.
Eventually, Doshie secured full-time work as a security officer at the MetroLink. One of her responsibilities was to remove homeless individuals from the trains. She felt compassion for those she encountered and she found it difficult to remove them as her job required. Homelessness was something Doshie truly understood. Seeing so many others struggle compelled her to action. She knew limited access to running water for showers or laundering clothes was a problem so she made a goal to open a facility where homeless and low-income individuals could shower and wash their clothing at no charge. After spending two years dedicated to cause, Doshie launched her own non-profit in St. Louis called Doshie’s Laundry Foundation.
Doshie is a shining example of resilience and determination. Now married and a mother of two, she is able to fulfill the needs of her family. She works full-time as a teacher’s assistant for the St. Louis City Public Schools, and plans to graduate with her Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. Doshie’s hope is to continue growing her nonprofit to give back to the community that once helped her.
Carmyn, LFCS Foster Parent
Three years ago, Shawn, a loving father to Sienna (6) and Tyler (3) and husband to Carmyn, was tragically killed in a car accident. Grief overtook Carmyn and their children as they tried to cope with this significant loss. Together, they met with a LFCS therapist to work through their emotions and find a new normal as a family.
Although adjusting to life without Shawn as well as could be expected, Carmyn still felt like something was missing. She and Shawn had always wanted a large family. They had even discussed adoption a few times before his accident. Carmyn was mourning not just the loss of her husband, but the big family that could have been.
Then, last summer, Carmyn’s neighbors shared a story about a family member who had just become a foster parent. They talked about a group of siblings whose parent was unable to care for them and how their lives had been changed for the better since joining their family. This conversation lead Carmyn to realize she was open to the possibility of becoming a foster parent.
At her next appointment at LFCS, Carmyn told her therapist about the idea and she was referred to LFCS Family Services. Although the idea of being a “single parent” seemed daunting, Carmyn knew she had enough love to share with children in need.
The first placement Carmyn accepted was a set of seven-year old twin boys left orphaned by their single mother’s accidental overdose. Having experienced the loss of a parent, she knew Sienna and Tyler could truly relate to the boys and that she could offer them a safe and loving place to call home. The connection was natural and immediate for all of them. Now they see themselves as one big family – complete because they have found one another through the tragic losses they each experienced.