It’s the weekend, and Michael is driving 2 1/2 hours to Connecticut to see Billy, his soon-to-be foster son.
It was a few years ago when Michael first met 13-year-old Billy, who was being fostered by Michael’s business partner. At the time, Billy had already lived with 4 different families in the span of 9 years. It was a challenging time for the young boy.
But Michael and Billy formed a special bond. It was then that Michael made a drastic change. Prior to this, he had lived life only for himself. Then, he started to think about becoming a father to Billy.
Michael decided he wanted to foster Billy with the eventual goal of adopting him. With the help of Children’s Aid and Family Services he became a licensed therapeutic foster parent. Billy moved to New Jersey a year later. With his foster dad’s help, Billy overcame his anxiety around making friends. He became a more confident and independent student, even making the honor roll at school.
Children’s Aid and Family Services is able to provide intensive support services to bring foster parents together with children, thanks to the generosity of the Greater Newark Holiday Fund.
Your gift makes a lasting difference in the lives of foster families like Michael and Billy. Thank you.
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Original story taken from nj.com.