Imaginative and affectionate, 10-year-old Caleb loves superheroes. His favorite by far is Spiderman, and he likes to pretend he can shoot webbing from his hands – just like the comic book hero. He also enjoys playing with his trucks, playing in the park with his foster brothers, and attending church with his foster family. Caleb hopes to be a scientist when he grows up.
On Nov. 19, 2021, two little boys – Benjamin and Rylee – understood just a few things. One was that their last name was finally going to be just like that of the two people they have been calling Mommy and Daddy for two years. Another was that there was one heckuva celebration with a lot of happy people.
Saint Francis is pleased to announce the selection of Melanie MacKenzie as the Executive Director of Capacity Building for Texas.
Sweet and affectionate, Helen (10) wants to be a veterinarian or pet store owner when she grows up. When she’s not riding her bike, she likes to practice gymnastics or exercise her creativity by working with arts and crafts.
After four decades in one of the toughest professions going, Robert “Bob” Brunner insists it’s his colleagues and the kids who have kept him positive. “It’s been a privilege to be part of this system where you can help make a little one’s day a bit better, especially when they’re dealing with one of the worst days you can imagine – suffering from the trauma of being separated from their parents.”
When children are removed from their homes, it is usually through no fault of their own. They may be awakened in the middle of the night, wrapped in blankets, and driven to another house to spend the night with strangers. Most of their toys and clothes are often left behind. Whether a toddler or a teenager, they have little control over what happens to them. But one part of the court process is designed to give children a way to know that their perspective is heard as they enter into a complex system. This representative is the guardian ad litem, or GAL.
Riding in her warm car on her way to gymnastics class, Caroline Avery could only imagine what it must be like to live on the streets during last year’s brutally cold February in Wichita. So, rather than spend her birthday money shopping, the 8-year-old said she wanted to use it to help people. Her first thought was to donate to the homeless, which would itself have been a thoughtful gesture for a child her age. But when her mother asked if she wanted to help adults or children, she immediately replied, “Kids!” Children, it seems, possess a natural empathy for other kids that demands expression.
That Sunday … well, it was both strange and chaotic. For Anika Pfannenstiel, it began with church and ended with a runaway sister and a trip to the police station. By the afternoon, officers had removed Anika and two sisters from their home as the three entered the Kansas foster care system. Monday, they went to court, where the judge awarded temporary custody to their older brother. In a matter of hours, 12-year-old Anika’s life had turned upside down.
Loving, sociable, and affectionate, 11-year-old Bryce is a hugger. He also likes bringing people together by introducing his friends to one another. Bryce is happy playing by himself or with others, and he enjoys toy cars and trains.