March 19, 2024

Need for foster homes in Jasper County continues

Iowa Kids Net raising awareness through Heart Gallery

The Heart Gallery of Iowa, featuring portraits of foster children, made its way to the Newton YMCA this month and will be displayed at the Newton Public Library next month.

It’s rather easy to overlook the portraits of children and teens at the entryway, and it’s even harder to know each child’s story without digging a little deeper.

The gallery is a part of Iowa Kids Net’s initiative to find foster and adoptive families for children across the state of Iowa who are in urgent situations.

Children in the photos displayed have been selected by an adoption worker who needed assistance in finding an adoptive family, Ann Kopf, of Iowa Kids Net said. Kopf helps assist families in the eastern portion of the state, including Jasper County.

“Basically the kids that we have that go into care are from the Department of Human Services or from juvenile court or are unable to remain with their birth families,” Kopf said. “The majority of our kids are older kids, we typically don’t get a newborn baby.”

Kopf said finding homes for teens is particularly harder, especially when sibling groups of three or four need homes — often times forcing the siblings to split up.

“People get scared off by teens, but they want families too and they want commitment,” Kopf said. “They are moving on with their life but they still need people to come home to as a safety net.”

Kopf said Jasper County has some amazing families who have stepped up and taken in teens.

“The majority of the time they are adopted by the family that has been caring for them,” Kopf said. “Because they know the positive of the kids, and they know the not so good things and that’s what we need is people to take them in.”

Kopf noted one Jasper County family who has gone above and beyond.

“One family in particular has adopted multiple children from a foster care family but one little girl was still living there, and it was one of those middle of the night things, and this family drove 30 to 40 miles to pick up this little girl,” Kopf said.

Kopf said the Heart Gallery is one of the methods of getting awareness to the regular community.

“I think people have the misconception of the kids who are coming into care — the Heart Gallery helps put a face to the child and helps people have some understanding,” Kopf said. “It puts a face to the child who is waiting and helps people realize they can be a family for that kid and the kids are worth it. Life doesn’t happen without some bumps in the road but its about the journey we all go on as children and families.”

Vivian Willemsen, a recruiter licensing specialist for Iowa Kids Net, said Jasper County has a little more than 30 foster homes but it’s not enough to meet the need.

“It is very unfortunate because if the child goes to Newton High School or an elementary school here, the kid gets taken out of the community, if they can’t find a home in Jasper County,” Willemsen said.

Willemsen said taking in a child can be challenging but it is ultimately beneficial for both the child and family.

“Every other month we are in Newton to hold informational meetings,” Willemsen said.

To learn more about the children up for adoption visit iowakidsnet.com

Contact Kayla Langmaid at 641-792-3121 ext. 6513 or klangmaid@newtondailynews.com