5 Siblings Reunited Through Adoption

This story was published in my local newspaper (Fargo Forum) this past Friday.
 I believe the story speaks for itself and needs no additional comments from me -:)
 STORY:
Mitzels’ Miracles
Mike Nowatzki, The Forum
Published Friday, October 26, 2007

Dinner is only an hour away, but 10-year-old Brandon Mitzel is hungry.
Sitting at the kitchen counter, his math homework sprawled out [...]

Florida Accepts $10 Million Settlement

The article below appeared in the Palm Beach Post in Florida. An adoptive couple sued the state due to damage done to the youth they adopted while they were in foster care. It has taken years for the settlement to be reached; which is a shame as services these youth have been greatly delayed.
Though they [...]

November – Nat’l Adoption Awareness Month

Thousands of children in foster care await a permanent family; the longer they languish in the system the more damage done to them…they need adoption!
Imagine you’ve been in foster care most or all of your life. Among all the other disappointments you’ve had to deal with, you’ve had no parents, you have been moved time [...]

Foster Care not the Best Way?

My local newspaper, The Fargo Forum, (North Dakota) allows space each Sunday for a guest OpEd piece. Below you will find an article entitled, “Foster Care Not the Best Way. The article appeared on Sunday, October 21, 2007.
After reading it I felt it needed a response though I agreed with her data. However I did [...]

A Case of Failure

The story you will read below was not writte by me but appeared in the Rocky Mountain News on October 12, 2007.
Though I firmly believe each of us must be held accountable for our actions…I also firmly believe this story is an example of the failure of our foster care system.
Unfortunately Michael Tate’s story is not [...]

Heroes for our Foster Youth!

For the past few months I have been considering a blog entry to honor those whom I feel should be considered “Heroes for our Foster Youth.”
I have decided to make this an actual reality. I know, despite the numerous problems within today’s foster care system, there are many individuals, families and organizations doing something to [...]

Foster Care Reimbursement Rates

As you read this please bear in mind that I am highly critical of our current foster care system.
I believe far too many children are  removed from their homes too quickly or for unjustified reasons.
I further believe that that there are children left in homes where they are in imminent danger when they should have [...]

All They Want for Christmas!

Almost fifty-eight years ago, in the early hours of one
morning, a young nineteen year old unwed woman gave
birth to her first child…a boy.
She spent most of her pregnancy in a home for unwed
mothers as her father would not, as he said, allow a
bastard child in his house.
She was uneducated and unable to provide even the
basic [...]