This holiday season, TFI Family Connections (TFI) honors Jennie Williams, an inspiring advocate and foster parent. With over nine years of experience in fostering, Jennie has passionately built a caring environment for children, while striving to influence positive change in foster care practices and policies for a brighter future.
A Journey Rooted in Compassion & Systemic Change:
Jennie’s fostering journey began 18 years ago when she volunteered at an orphanage in Mexico. While there, she formed a special bond with a three-year old boy who sparked her lifelong passion for helping create strong, loving families. After her trip, she earned her degree in social work and worked in various roles supporting children, including positions at a Head Start preschool and respite care setting.
Overcoming Barriers:
Jennie met a young boy who captured her heart, and she was thinking of fostering him. Fortunately, he and his sister were adopted into a loving home. This motivated her to move back to Oklahoma and start fostering. However, Jennie faced a significant barrier: her legal blindness prevented her from being an open foster home under state policy. Undeterred, she advocated tirelessly and after months of persistence, she helped change the policy in Oklahoma.
“My story became a quiet claim to change, proving that barriers can be broken with determination,” remarks Jennie.
Building Trust & Creating a Welcoming Environment:
Jennie emphasizes the importance of trust and individualized care in fostering. She shares how her creative approach—such as offering familiar comfort foods or tailoring support based on each child’s background—helps children feel safe and loved. Her experience has shown her that fostering is not just about providing shelter but about understanding and meeting each child’s unique needs. She believes that fostering success depends on building strong relationships and a community that supports foster families.
Advice for Future Foster Parents
Jennie’s advice to those considering fostering is to start with respite care. She
acknowledges that fostering can be intimidating and overwhelming but she encourages leaning into short-term respite care to help evaluate what you can handle without full commitment. She believes starting with respite care enhanced her ability to provide quality care and encourages others to seek support.
How the Community Can Help:
Jennie encourages people to befriend and create bonds with foster families and their children. Support them by staying involved, communicating openly and finding inclusive ways to share experiences that nurture trust and understanding.
“Remember to find moments of fun and joy even during busy times. Spending quality, enjoyable moments with your child is essential and can truly make a positive difference. It helps bring happiness back into your daily routine and strengthens your bond,” says Jennie.
This holiday season, consider opening your heart and home to a child in need—more foster families are urgently needed and your support can make all the difference. Foster parents like Jennie Williams inspire positive change and help create healthier, stronger futures and holidays for families and children.
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