Father’s day was last Sunday, and for those of us that were fortunate enough to spend time with our fathers, it was a great day full of new ties, plaid shirts, breakfast in bed, and new tools. For those of us whose fathers are no longer with us, it was a day of cherished memories and fond moments.

But for children in foster care, Father’s Day may bring a barrage of emotions. They may feel confusion about their current situation and hope of a forever home with a father that loves and supports them.

I happened to be wearing my “Keep Calm and Foster On” shirt on Father’s Day when a dad came up to me with tears in his eyes, thanking me for supporting foster parents. With a shaky voice and wet cheeks, he shared his story with me about growing up in foster care and that if it hadn’t been for his foster father, he didn’t know where he would be or if he would even be alive. I was saddened by his story, but also encouraged by the father that opened his heart and home to a troubled and traumatized boy.

Recently, KVC foster father Mike French made the top five finalists for The National Center for Fathering’s’ Father of the Year Contest. The essay “What my father means to me” was written by a youth in foster care and earned Mike an induction into the Fathering Hall of Fame.

Stories like these are the ray of hope in a life full of questions. But as I reflect, I have a question for you – have you ever considered becoming a foster father? Will future Father’s Days be commemorated with new grills or with the joy of changing the life of a child in foster care?

Happy Foster Father’s Day