We would like you to meet one of our licensed foster families, The Ries. Dave and Jennifer Ries have been licensed with us since June of 2020. With three children of their own, they know how important it is for children to have the love and support they need.
“I know how much love I have for each of my own children—it is horrific to think of any child out there who might feel unloved and be neglected at any point in their life. Dave and I wanted to try and help somehow. We had both prayed about it and agreed we needed to do more, but weren’t sure how to go about the process,” said Jennifer.
The very next morning, Jennifer saw Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries’s Facebook post about our very first STARS training class, a specialized program that is the first step toward becoming a foster or adoptive parent. They were excited to see we were taking on the training and support of foster parents in their community.
“We liked that Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries was a Christian-based organization and was looking out for those most vulnerable in our own community. Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries’s model just seemed to make sense,” said Dave.
After they completed their STARS training, the Ries decided to start out doing respite or emergency care only (not long-term placement) and see how that went for their family. “So far, that has worked well for us, and we have been able to have some amazing kids stay with us for a day or weekend. We have watched a number of these children multiple times, and it has been wonderful to develop that relationship with the kids and foster parents. We like to think of our role being like the fun aunt, uncle, and cousins!” Jennifer said.
Through the process of becoming foster parents and providing respite care, Dave and Jennifer have experienced a lot of wonderful things. They love seeing their own children dive in and help. They enjoy being able to give other foster parents a break so they can recharge and be at their best. They greatly appreciate how Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries has made the process so much easier by providing a family advocate who frequently checks in on them to see what support they need.
“It is also so wonderful to watch a child a second or third time—remembering their apprehension the first time they came to visit and how they asked if their foster parent would come back for them, and then the next time seeing them come into our house confident and relaxed knowing their foster parent would be back,” said Jennifer.
Providing respite for children in foster care and their families has “made us all that more aware of the challenges so many sweet kids are forced to face,” Jennifer said.
“Through this process of becoming foster parents, our eyes have definitely been opened to the overwhelming need within our community,” said Dave.
We are so thankful for the Ries family, and others like them, who invest themselves in the lives of children in foster care. Their willingness to open their home and their hearts makes it possible for more and more children to know what it’s like to have a safe place to be a child!
To learn more about respite support, visit https://coyotehill.org/respite-support/.
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