[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 68 (Thursday, May 23, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S4831]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN PRAISE OF FOSTER PARENTS

  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, today we celebrate May as National Foster 
Care Month, and in Idaho, Foster Care Appreciation Month. Although this 
month is almost over, the need for foster care remains critical. I 
would like to take a moment today to talk about the important role that 
foster parents play in maintaining the safety and welfare of some of 
our most vulnerable citizens.
  According to the Administration of Children and Families within the 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are an estimated 
565,000 children in foster care across this nation. In Idaho, 1,276 
children in need have been given temporary refuge in foster homes. 
There are 470 licensed foster homes available in Idaho to provide a 
family setting for children who have lost their parents, or whose 
parents, for whatever reasons, can no longer provide appropriate care. 
Foster care is intended to be temporary--until a child can be returned 
safely to his or her parents, or, if that is impossible, placed in a 
permanent, loving adoptive home.
  Many foster parents take an active role working with the child's 
family to help them become safely reunited, or end up adopting the 
child themselves. One such foster couple is Manual and Catalina Godina 
of Parma. The Godinas have been foster parents since 1999, caring for 
nearly 20 children of all ages. After her five biological children grew 
up and married, Catalina spent her days babysitting grandchildren. She 
heard a foster care recruitment announcement on the radio and told 
Manuel she wanted to get involved. She then applied to see if they 
could qualify and, fortunately, they did.
  Catalina has seen first hand the need for foster care when her infant 
nephew was removed from a drug-abusive home to be placed in his 
grandmother's care. She wanted to do something to help kids, so she 
opened up the Godina home to them. Catalina knows many kids who come 
through the system are mistreated, and she's trying to do her part to 
bring some joy into their lives. ``They need some love, caring and a 
lot of attention,'' she says.
  Manual and Catalina have hosted children for as little as 2 weeks, 
but currently their foster family includes a teenager who has lived 
with them for 3 years. On May 9, the Godinas adopted 3-year old Dimber, 
a beautiful boy who's been in their lives since he was 9 days old. They 
fell in love with Dimber, and when he became available for adoption, 
the Godinas applied, ensuring him a permanent, loving home.
  There are many more foster families who mirror the compassion and 
love expressed by the Godinas. Sadly, however, there are far more 
children needing temporary refuge than there are Godinas or other 
foster families who can care for them. The purpose of National Foster 
Care Month has been to raise awareness of these issues and invite 
caring adults across the Nation to consider helping a child in need by 
becoming a foster parent. I salute all foster families and urge my 
colleagues to continue spreading this message in their home States.

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