Why We Don't Keep our Daughters' Artwork

Why We Don't  Keep our Daughters' Artwork

Our daughters Jayda and Makenna spent a combined 3,188 days in foster care before we became a family. Shortly after they moved in, I came across a box of my childhood papers. It had been moved and stored at least four times in my adult life, but I had never really looked at the contents. When I finally looked inside, I realized it was papers and art without dates, notes or reasons for keeping it. I wanted to make sure Jayda and Makenna knew why I kept their childhood art and I didn’t just want to throw it away without honoring their effort. That’s when I realized I had an answer for their art.

Giving back and volunteering have always been a part of my life and I wanted that for Jayda and Makenna, too. I wanted them to be part of something bigger.  We could host an art show to honor their work and fundraise for a charity to be part of something bigger.

On the day of our art show, I was really thrilled to have such a great turn out and to see all of the love and support from my family and friends. I was proud to tell our story and share how Boys & Girls Aid has spent 131 years of serving children in Oregon – that says a lot. Our first art show raised over $1,100. Jayda and Makenna presented their big check to Boys & Girls Aid on their adoption day. It was very special.

This year we raised $1,500 and grew our awareness base, which was really important to me. More people need to have an awareness of children in foster care and the positive impact of having a permanent lifelong connection. My goal is to make this an annual tradition in our home, but my vision is to spread this across Oregon communities, one adoptive home at a time. 

As of Aug 11, 2016 Jayda and Makenna have lived with us for 751 days. Our girls are growing and learning very quickly. Jayda is tenacious and so curious. She is into everything and wants to know how it works. In two years she has made great strides in her development and trust of people. She does all of the right things when we are not around at school, camp and friends’ houses.

Makenna is a very intuitive girl who remembers everything. She says the funniest things with great timing. In January when we were on vacation in Costa Rica, Mario and I decided to go out to dinner alone. When we announced we were going to dinner without them Makenna asked why. We explained it had been a long time since just the two of us had gone to dinner together. Without missing a beat, Makenna replied, “You had time to yourselves before we moved in.”

I hope to provide my daughters with stability as they grow. All children need support and tools for their toolbox, which they receive at birth from their biological family. Unfortunately, children from foster care typically haven’t learned many life skills to help them be successful. All children deserve a chance, and financial support from individual donors helps make this possible. I want to make sure everyone I know learns a little bit more about children in foster care. 




Boys and Girls Aid

Oregon Based
 7 Waiting Children  1 Adoption Program
 Call 503-222-9661 018 SW Boundary Ct. Oregon http://boysandgirlsaid.org/

We do not simply find families, we find the right families for children in need.

Boys & Girls Aid works to secure lifelong connections for every child in Oregon. Regardless of age or background, we believe children belong in families that are permanent and stable. While every child deserves a family, not every child has a family. Between the ages of 0 to 23, we have a focus on making sure every child has a lifelong adult connected to their future.

There are many children in foster care in Oregon that are waiting for their forever families. Adoption from foster care is an affordable option, and assistance may be available to help offset the cost. 

Our staff is there for you every step of the way. We begin our services with an orientation that allows you to become familiar with our agency and our program. You will have a trained member of our staff available to answer all of your questions.

Who are these children?

Children in our Foster Care Adoption program range in age from young children through teenagers and come from families of diverse backgrounds. What these children share is the need for a permanent home with a caring family like yours.

Boys & Girls Aid serves children waiting in foster care throughout the state of Oregon. These children are in the care of the state for any number of reasons. While it is always our first hope to see children reunited with their biological family, for these children, returning to their families is not possible, or not a safe and stable option. As a result, they have been released to the state for adoption.

Many of the children in our program are in foster care because of a history of abuse or neglect. These circumstances leave some children with cognitive, physical, or emotional challenges that require special care.

Who may adopt?

The children in our Foster Care Adoption program need understanding, stable adults to care for them. Boys & Girls Aid is proud to work with families of any race, ethnicity, religion, marital status or sexual orientation.

Boys & Girls Aid is a non-sectarian, non-profit organization who has been finding permanent homes for Oregon’s children since 1885. More than 17,000 adoptions have been completed since the agency was founded. Boys & Girls Aid is a founding member of the Child Welfare League of America and the Special Needs Adoption Coalition. As one of the few Oregon agencies accredited, we are held to a higher standard than others in our field. At Boys & Girls Aid, we are committed to finding families for children, not children for families. This means we always place the highest priority on what is in the child’s best interest.

Learn more about adopting a child from the Oregon Foster Care system now by visiting our website.