LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — It's National Foster Care Month and there are currently more than 10,000 Kentucky children in foster care.
One organization is working to find loving homes to keep these kids safe, while also helping them find their next step.
When parent Leesa Del Rio heard the call to be a foster parent, little did she know how much it would shape her life.
"It has been the biggest blessing to our family," she said.
Her journey started in 2011. Over the last decade, she has welcomed Kentucky's children into her home to help them find a permanent home.
"It has been an awesome experience just to shed light on the broken places in our communities," said Del Rio.
She has since fostered 10 children and adopted three.
Now as the International Program Assistant for Nightlight Christian Adoptions, she wants to help other parents feel just as fulfilled in giving back.
The new program provides both temporary and permanent placement for foster kids of all ages.
"The number one goal in Kentucky and really nationwide is reunification," said Executive Director Dana Poynter.
Nightlight works to find loving temporary and permanent homes for children that enter foster care.
They also help incoming parents with the challenges of transitioning to a new home.
"One of the things that night light does really well is to prepare families to take on that challenge to parent the child effectively," said Poynter.
For the 17 hundred foster kids available for adoption in Kentucky right now, Poynter hopes finding more eligible foster parents will lead to more forever families.
If you would like more information, you can visit their website at https://nightlight.org/kentucky-foster-care/
