Local non-profit helps foster kids in need of forever families

About 65 percent of foster children in the Alexandria region do not have a home to be placed in.

According to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), the other options are either non-certified foster homes or a shelter - most of which are out of town.

Several ordinary moms noticed the need, came together and created a non-profit to try and provide a solution.

From their childhood memories to today, Karley Duhon and Andria Fontenot have always had a heart for foster children.

"I always grew up around lots of children in the state. We kept them until they were available for adoption," Duhon said.

"My husband and I became foster parents a year ago and we've really enjoyed the journey," said Fontenot.

However, the journey quickly showed them that the need was greater than they thought.

"Right now in the Alexandria region, we have 466 children in care with 162 homes to serve those 466 children," said DCFS Area Director, Rita Jackson.

The numbers were so staggering that Duhon and Fontenot began a non-profit called “Fostering Community”, to create an avenue for people to be able to support children in foster care.

"There was a big gap for resources for children in foster care. One of those things was a steady place where they could get clothes at little to no cost," said Duhon.

Fostering Community started the Foster Care Closet in Alexandria to provide families with any materials they might need for their foster child.

"We have everything from diapers to new pajamas to very gently used clothing,” Fontenot said. “We have cribs and car seats and pack and plays and kind of anything in between there that people would need."

"The need in this community is so great to serve these families and to support these families with clothes and with items for the children," said Fostering Community co-founder and co-director, Allyson Marlowe.

However, adoption is the ultimate goal.

"DCFS has identified over a hundred that they would like our help with just trying to get their faces out there, their names, and to try and get some good, godly foster families interested in adopting them," Duhon said.

It’s all in hopes of giving 466 children forever families.

"To be able to welcome children into our home and to be able to love on them has been really fun," said Fontenot.

Fostering Community also takes donations and volunteers. For more information on how to get involved, check out their website: fosteringcommunity.org.