Vanessa’s Humans of Adoption story is one of foster care, hope for the future, and stories that end with adoption.  The Let It Be Us Humans of Adoption series tells different stories and perspectives on what it is like to adopt a child through foster care. You can read these stories on our blog (here) and on our social media channels.

During National Adoption Awareness Month we will be working to help you understand and navigate the complications of foster care and adoption. For those who are interested in learning more, consider attending one of our informational webinars on foster care and adoption at www.letitbeus.org/events.

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He came into foster care when he was 5 years old. Sweet and kind, an incredible basketball player, and loaded with energy.  But he kept being moved to different foster homes – one year he had to move six different times.  As you can imagine, each move was harder than the last.  As his case worker, I would be the one to pick him up and drive him to the next home.  We’d listen to “Higher Ground” by Stevie Wonder on those drives.  It was our thing.

The last time I drove him to a new home, he broke down.  He was crying and screaming about how he would never be able to stay anywhere. He would have to “move again soon anyway, so why bother going” to this new home? He said no one would ever love him, and it shattered my heart. 

He ended up thriving in his new home and that’s where he stayed. The day I went to talk to him about the adoption process, I went to his room and asked him if he knew what adoption meant. He jumped up and said “that means this family will keep me forever, right?! Finally?!” He was adopted shortly after and each time I hear “Higher Ground”, I think of him. When I feel discouraged, that song – and his story – keeps me going. My own higher ground is making sure each child in care who can’t return home eventually gets their “forever and finally” moment. 

(Vanessa Baie is Let It Be Us’ Director of Coaching and Targeted Recruitment, she has been working in the child welfare system for 7 years.)

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Let It Be Us is a 501(c)(3) Child Welfare Agency licensed through the State of Illinois. Our programs and initiatives significantly change outcomes for the children we serve. We increase the number of Illinois licensed foster homes through recruitment programs and events, we educate new foster parents and directly refer them to agencies via our experienced licensing coaches, we manage a database of open and licensed homes to serve children in emergent need and those who are challenging to place by working with caseworkers and investigators to make faster and stronger placements.  We also offer direct support to children the children foster care that we serve. We operate through grants and donations. We operate solely in Illinois. Learn more about our programs here.