Providing Love and Stability: From Volunteer to Foster Parent

Haley Wright has always had a lot of love to share – and when she began volunteering with The Foundling eight years ago, she found that her heart expanded more and more. In honor of Foster Care Awareness Month, we’re highlighting her inspiring story.

While Haley had provided support to The Foundling and other social service organizations in the past, including foster care agencies, joining the Junior Board at The Foundling was a transformative experience. She delved into the work and served as Chair for three years. Through fundraising and event planning, Haley had the opportunity to meet participants across our programs and communities, and hear their stories firsthand. “There’s no distance, you get to love them up close,” she notes. And again and again, she was inspired by what she saw.

“The young people I saw at Camp Felix, the students performing in Haven Kids Rock, the way The Foundling helps children succeed and attain success – it made me want to give children in foster care a feeling of belonging and acceptance, and to show them that they have value in the world,” Haley says. Now, she is taking the next step in giving back: becoming a foster parent herself.

The decision to foster a child is not one to take lightly, but Haley is prepared. She’s been considering sharing her home for years, but is now ready to take action. “This January, I decided that this would be the year, and rented a 2-bedroom apartment so I could get started,” she shares. She recently participated in the orientation class, and hopes to be fully licensed by this fall.

“I’m excited to provide a stable space for children to feel safe and loved,” Haley says. “I want to make sure they can decorate their own space – pick out a comforter for the bed, put artwork on the walls. This will be their home, and a reflection of themselves. I want them to know they will be loved for who they are – they won’t have to conform to an ideal, they can be themselves and know that they will be safe.”

“I know that it won’t always be easy, there will be hard parts and so many sensitivities, but I’m ready for it,” says Haley. “It feels like an honor to be part of the process and part of their story. I have so much to learn, and am excited to partner with The Foundling on this next step in my journey.”