You can bring a child in from the cold - consider foster care

If a little kid showed up at your door looking hungry and cold, would you let them in? Absolutely! You'd give them warm blankets, make them lots of hot chocolate, and do everything you could to make sure they're safe and comfortable.

Today in our community, there are boys and girls of all ages who have been abandoned, abused, or worse. These children can't come to us, but we can go to them.

At the Center for the Rights of Abused Children, we believe every child deserves to be safe and loved. To that end, we’ve strengthened the family scaffolding and legal protections for more than 650,000 children in foster care. Our reforms include common-sense measures such as requiring immediate searches for relatives and extending basic due process protections to abused children such as the right to an attorney.

But as we celebrate in May both Mother's Day and National Foster Care Month, we're reminded that too many children lack the most fundamental protection of all: a family.

Nationwide estimates show there is one licensed home available for every two children in foster care. Government offices, cars, and even jails serve as holding tanks. Tens of thousands of children pray daily for a family to choose them.

We're reminded of a 1906 newspaper headline in Missouri announcing the arrival of homeless children on an orphan train from the east. It read, "Wanted: Homes for Children." Now, a hundred years later, we could put up the same sad headline.

We know that when women care, children thrive. We want to honor and acknowledge the vital role of moms who foster children, who have welcomed kids into their hearts and homes to help them during tough times. Dads, we see and appreciate you, too.

Between our two families, we've been lucky enough to care for 13 children. Three of them are our biological kids. The other 10 came into our lives through foster care, after going through different challenges. Each and every one of these children is equally precious to us and to God.

If you have an empty nest, are new parents feeling tired, or even if you're single, if you could provide a safe and caring home, would you consider bringing in a child from the cold?

Here are three reasons to consider fostering a child today:

According to a Kidsave-Gallup poll, over half of Americans think about providing foster care, but many aren't sure if they qualify. If you have a safe place to live, there's a good chance you can help. Regulations differ, but generally, you don't have to be married, wealthy, or own a home. What you do need is the ability and willingness to provide love and care for a child.

Next, there's a need for safe and caring homes for kids of all ages, from newborn babies to teenagers. When one of us decided to foster, we initially wanted to help a teenager. But that plan changed when a social worker told us about newborns sleeping in shelters and government buildings. They asked if we could provide a crib, and we couldn't turn them down. Half of the kids entering foster care are 5 years old or younger. As a foster parent, you can choose the age group that best fits your family.

Fostering brings a lot of uncertainty. Some kids might only need your help for a brief time, while others might become a permanent part of your family through adoption. If that uncertainty feels overwhelming, you can still make a big difference by volunteering to offer respite care. These caring families give foster parents and children a break from their daily routines and challenges, offering much-needed support.

To those who step up to care for the children of strangers, we want to share the heartfelt thanks expressed by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 when he first established National Foster Care Month:

"…thanks for the sacrifices and dedication of the many foster parents…Their jobs require extraordinary patience and love, and their rewards are often reaped only years after their primary labor is done — when the child is grown and fully appreciates what has been done for him or her, or when society pauses from its hectic rush forward to recognize the good they have accomplished."

Today, we're incredibly grateful for everyone in our community who gives their all to ensure that every child grows up safe and loved.

Darcy Olsen, of Phoenix, Arizona, is founder and CEO and Ann Tredway, of Erie, is executive director of the Center for the Rights of Abused Children, an award-winning impact charity and recipient of the United States Department of Health and Human Services Adoption Excellence Award.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Center for the Rights of Abused Children issues foster care plea