EMPTY STOCKING FUND: Lutheran Family Services provides foster and adoption assistance
The 6-year-old girl came to them more than a year ago from a traumatic background.
Foster parents Kathryn Morrison and Andy Morrison are in process of adopting the child with help of Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains.
Kathryn Morrison asked that the girl be called Joy for publication, not only to protect her identity but because joy is exactly what she has brought to the family.
“She is a blessing. She is energetic, friendly, resilient, “Morrison said. “There are those moments when what is needed is to sit with her in her uncertain places. The big emotions. The confusion. The heartache.”
Morrison is a trauma therapist who works with adolescents. Her husband works with a college ministry. They decided to foster and adopt because they have seen the devastation children face without a safe home in which to flourish.
They have temporarily fostered other children. Morrison has high praise for the support and education received from Lutheran Family Services every step of the way.
Lutheran Family Services is a faith-based organization that provides a variety of services including foster and adoption assistance, caregiver respite daycare, disaster response aid, family refugee resettlement, and resettlement of children under 18 without parents who go into foster care. The agency’s reach includes Colorado, Albuquerque, Salt Lake City.
Staff has had to adjust to COVID-19, providing remotely such things as the foster parent training. The charity’s KPC Respite Center, with health stringent health precautions, is open, providing child care up to 72 hours for stressed parents, and those facing emergencies, home violence, critical appointments. There has been increased need for help with basics such as food which is sent home with participating families.
Fundraising during the pandemic has been challenging. The charity, which usually has six fundraising events a year, has been holding all but the golf tournament virtually. “It’s harder to get interest,” said Victoria Norton, Colorado Springs regional development coordinator.
“It’s more important than ever in this stressful time to provide help to parents. We walk beside them all the way,” Norton said.
The Morrison’s adoption process has been slower than usual because of the pandemic’s effect on the legal process. The adoption is expected to go through by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Joy fits in perfectly with the Morrisons’ two biological children. She is rough and tumble with their son, and likes fantasy games with their older daughter. She recently pretended to be a butterfly.
The siblings readily called her their younger sister, Morrison said.
Joy, in turn, says all the time, “I love my forever family.”
Empty Stocking Fund benefits 20 health and human service agencies in the Pikes Peak region who serve over 250,000 neighbors in need from birth to end of life. Your donation is powerful.
Give now at EmptyStockingFundCO.org, or call 719-476-1673 to make a credit card or stock donation. Make checks payable to Empty Stocking Fund and mail to P.O. Box 910942, Denver, CO 80291-0942.