StepStone Emphasizes the Need for Foster Families during National Foster Care Month with Local News
May 27, 2026
StepStone Family & Youth Services, a private foster care agency that works with families across nine states say they want to make sure children in the system are provided a safe home and emphasize the need for more foster families during May, National Foster Care Month.
Open Your Home, Change A Life: Family, expert share need for foster families during National Foster Care Month
Tina Gray-Russell, Recruitment Manager with the organization, says there are a lot of children right now in West Virginia that are not having their needs met because there are more children in need of foster homes than there are foster parents.
“So you have situations where we actually have some children that are staying in hotel rooms,” Gray-Russell said. “That’s why we at StepStone are trying so hard to recruit foster parents to meet that need because, of course, we believe every child deserves a safe and loving home and that one child in a hotel room is one child too many.”
Organizations like StepStone Family Services also provide resources and support to families throughout the foster care process. Comprehensive training helps foster parents make a positive impact in a child’s life, including pre-service training, help in meeting licensing requirements, and ongoing guidance and support once children are placed in the home.
“Be open to working with teens,” Gray-Russell said. “Because that is one of the larger populations in West Virginia in need of foster care. I just hope folks are more willing to open their hearts and homes to foster kids, because they have an opportunity to really change their lives for the better for the rest of their lives.”
Click here to learn more about becoming a foster parent with StepStone.
Click here to watch news coverage of Tina’s interview and read the full WDTV article.
North Carolina Foster mom who’s cared for 30-plus children says fostering brought healing after loss.
As Foster Care Awareness Month comes to an end, thousands of children across North Carolina are still waiting for safe and supportive homes. For eight-year-old Harold, foster care has given him the chance to simply be a kid again. “The kids, it’s definitely not their fault, but a lot of them blame themselves,” said Joyce Waters, Harold’s foster mom. “You think about neglect. Some of it is just unbelievable for an innocent child.” Waters has opened her home to more than 30 children over the years.
There are more than 10,000 children in North Carolina’s foster care system, but fewer than 6,000 licensed foster families.
Justin Forney, Licensing Specialist, with StepStone Family and Youth Services said the need for more foster homes remains high, but the licensing process is designed to make sure families are safe and prepared.
“During the licensing process, there’s multiple interviews that the agency does conduct with the family,” Justin said. “A deep dive into the parents’ life to kind of give us information, as well as the state information, about how they are.”
Click here to watch the news coverage and read the full ABCNews12 article.
‘We have to deny children every day’ – 11,000 Georgia children are waiting for a home.
StepStone Family & Youth Services says demand for placements continues to grow during National Foster Care Month. More than 11,000 children are currently in foster care statewide, with many still waiting for stable homes as organizations across Georgia work to recruit more families during National Foster Care Month.
StepStone Family & Youth Services has partnered with Georgia DFACS since 1993 to help place children in foster homes across the state.
Executive Director LaShay Wilson says the need for foster families continues to grow. “We have to deny children every day. It is the most heartbreaking part of our job that we have to deny children every day,” Wilson said.
Wilson says when agencies cannot find placements, some children are forced to stay in hotels or overnight at DFACS offices.
She says many people are intimidated by foster care, but StepStone focuses on supporting families through the process and breaking misconceptions surrounding children in care.
Wilson says foster agencies are not looking for perfect families, just families willing to provide support, stability, and care.
Click here to watch news coverage of LaShay’s interview and read the full WALB News10 article.