We need to see each child as a gift to be welcomed, cherished, and protected. – Pope Francis
Since 1994, Sister Sandy Kiefer and Sister Lynn Miller have opened their home and hearts to 91 foster children from newborns to age 17.
With your donation to the United Way, you can help Sisters Lynn and Sandy continue to provide a caring home for children, many of whom have physical, emotional and psychological needs. Please choose United Way agency code 7260 to support the Sisters of St. Joseph Foster Care Program.
Shortly after receiving state certification Sisters Lynn and Sandy got their first call as foster parents: a four-year-old girl who was blind, deaf and paralyzed and who was in need of a home. They welcomed little Mary, and, within weeks, their foster family grew to four children. Since then, they continue to provide a safe, loving and nurturing environment for the children in their care.
Children have arrived at their home all hours of the day and night, most with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Some arrive alone or with siblings. Some are medically fragile. Children have stayed as little as 12 hours to two and half years. All experience the trauma of being separated from all that is familiar. Some are reunified with family; others leave for an adopted home.
“I cherish every moment we have together,” says Sister Lynn. “We never know what’s going to happen and so I have come to really appreciate every bit of time each child has with us. There’s vulnerability and fragility in being a foster parent . . . sometimes it takes greater love to let go.”
For both Sisters Lynn and Sandy, foster parenting, or more recently referred to as “resource parenting” is a definite call to a love and care for the dear neighbor.