As a young couple with a toddler, Allegra and Joseph weren’t thinking about becoming foster parents, particularly for a teenager. But then they met Jamie.
Jamie had been split up from her siblings and placed in a series of foster homes, attending 13 different schools. “We became foster parents to Jamie because we wanted her to have permanency in her life,” Joseph said.
Allegra and Joseph loved Jamie unconditionally, helping her overcome her anxiety and recognize her abilities. “Being a foster parent is more than housing somebody; Joseph said. “You should be teaching somebody to succeed in life.”
Jamie says her foster parents changed her life, helping her transition into young adulthood and become a successful college student. After graduating from college with a degree in Social Work, Jamie secured a job with the county as a social worker, supporting youth in foster care. “I just want to help make the world a little better, a little happier, and spread a little more love,” she said.
Allegra and Joseph cannot imagine their lives without Jamie. “There needs to be more people willing to open their homes and their lives to help these kids, to keep them from getting hurt,” Allegra said.
“She’s enriched our lives and taught us so much,” Joseph said. “We will always think of her as our daughter.”