In Depth: Heroes of foster care

LOS ANGELES - Segment One: Richard Valenza, the founder of the "Raise a Child" foundation, joins Hal to talk about how they help people who are considering becoming foster parents or adopting.  Valenza says the process has become much easier for LGBT people or single people. He says that there are many benefits to fostering and adopting, including childcare for working parents, healthcare and financial support. Valenza says that the pandemic led to some foster parents leaving the system, and there are many more kids who need help.

He also says that after the holidays, and all the festivities, kids in the system can get down and depressed, so it would be a great time for people to get into foster parenting.

Segment Two: Mika Khan is the Chief Program Officer of CASA L.A. She talks to Hal about how CASA volunteers help kids in the foster system by focusing closely on one child to make sure that their needs are met. Kids in foster care can have ten or more placements over the years, and each time there’s a change, they need to have coordination with social workers, medical and educational personnel. CASA volunteers can help with that. She says the organization provides special training to help volunteers.  Anyone interested can check out CASALA.ORG.

Segment Three: Hal is joined by Lyndsey Collins Wilson the CEO of FirstStar.Org and Devin Alexander the Manager of Strategic Partnerships. Wilson says that FirstStar helps teens in high school stay motivated to get through school and go to college. Teens who have not been adopted and are at risk of aging out of the system frequently don’t have good educational and life skills. They are at great risk of unemployment, homelessness and incarceration. 

The FirstStar program gives them a family –like environment that gives them a boost into adult life. Those who would like to help can visit FirstStar.org.

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Devin Alexander talks about how her involvement in the organization was spurred by the adoption of her own daughter.  She says she found out that child’s biological mother struggled terribly as a foster child and then when she aged out she wound up on the streets. Alexander says that inspired her to help other teens in the system.

Segment Four: Hal promotes his podcast, and we end with the beautiful ballad "Love is Love" to promote the "Raise A Child" organization.

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