Rosie loves big families. Over the past four years she and her husband have been foster parents to twenty different children, from newborn babies to teens. Currently, they are foster parents to seven children, all from difficult and troublesome situations. Rosie admits that she wonders sometimes, “Oh Lord, can I do this?” Obviously, she can!
When the children first come into her care, it can take a long time to build their trust. Many of them have endured unimaginable abuse and neglect. Some have even been moved between numerous families. “I have to have strength and patience. This is a 24/7 job,” Rosie said as she grinned ear to ear. Rosie has always loved children. She and her husband raised two beautiful daughters and two sons. She also watched children for working parents, or when somebody just needed a hand. Four years ago a friend suggested she look into being a foster parent for Catholic Charities. And so she did. Today, staff working in the Foster Care program at Catholic Charities regularly call her when a child who has been removed from a home due to abuse or neglect needs a safe and welcoming home, and a loving family. Rosie does’t have special training or skills, but she does receive support and guidance from the staff at Catholic Charities. “I treat each one of the children in my care with love and respect.” Each child has responsibitiles such as making their beds, cleaning up their rooms before they leave for school, doing their homework, and cleaning the dishes. Rosie aslo speaks fondly of the times they all say grace before enjoying dinner together. The family attends church each week. “I talk to the children and I listen to them. I tell them I love them every day. We do everything together, including group hugs. In this family, nobody is ever left out.” The children are thriving and growing in Rosie’s care. They are happy together at home, they help each other with homework, and show respect and love for their foster parents and each other. Rosie believes she gets her strength and inspriration from the children she cares for. “There is a perfect balance in my life. I give to them and they want to give back.” Rosie said people ask her all the time about her secret to caring for so many children. She claims there is no secret. She loves her work; she loves the children. She doesn’t want to take credit for their success in life. She just wants to be there for the kids, and for Catholic Charities.
Rosie does admit there is one challenging part of the job. She never knows how long a child will stay with her and her husband. She tries not to think about when that day will come. She just wants the children to be happy. “I’ll keep doing this until I can’t do it anymore,” said Rosie. And at Catholic Charities we are grateful for her attitude and commitment. She’s an angel on earth!
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DONATE NOW allows you to make a one-time donation using a credit card or make a recurring gift that allows Catholic Charities to charge a monthly donation to the credit card of your choice. |
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EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) allows you to support the works of Catholic Charities through a regular monthly deduction from your checking or savings account. A record of your gift will appear on your monthly bank statement. While you still need to mail a voided check to Catholic Charities to complete this transaction, it’s really as easy as 1-2-3. |
Donations can also be sent through the US Mail.
Mail donation form and check payable to Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet.
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