Every May, National Foster Care Month gives us a powerful opportunity to reflect, recognize, and rally around the children, families, and foster parents who make up the fabric of our child welfare system. It’s a time to celebrate resilience, honor healing, and acknowledge the everyday heroes who show up for youth in need. At Eckerd Connects, we’re proud to be part of the solution—providing wraparound services, trauma-informed care, and unwavering hope to those who need it most.
From North Carolina to Kansas to Florida, our programs are rooted in one powerful belief: with compassionate care and community support, lives can be transformed.
The Heart of Our Mission
Foster parenting is more than temporary care—it’s mentorship, stability, and hope. At Eckerd Connects, our foster parents often serve as legal guardians and guide biological families toward reunification. When that’s not possible, they open their hearts—and their homes—for adoption.
We meet each child’s physical, emotional, and social needs with the goal of reuniting families or finding permanent, loving homes. We don’t just provide services—we walk alongside families every step of the way. From their first inquiry to high school graduation, we’re there—celebrating milestones and holding space through challenges.
Let us show you what that looks like in action..
North Carolina: Caring for Children
Our North Carolina programs serve children and families throughout Western North Carolina. We train, license, and support our foster families through three Caring for Children programs:
- Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC): Matching youth who’ve experienced trauma with highly trained caregivers and 24/7 support.
- Family Foster Care (FFC): Offering stable homes while children await permanency.
- Angels Watch (AW): Providing short-term care for families in crisis—sometimes keeping a family together when all seemed lost.
Family in Focus: The Gunters
In 2023, Ashley and Devon Gunter opened their home—and their hearts—to their four nieces and nephews. They renovated their house to ensure each child had a personal space. This month, they adopted all four siblings, forming a beautiful family of eight.
“Thank you, Eckerd Connects, for all of your support and guidance. We could not have done it without you.” – Ashley Gunter
A Teen’s Turnaround: The Warrens’ Journey
The Warren family transferred from another agency, hoping to adopt. Less than a year later, they’re preparing to adopt their 13-year-old foster son—a child who once believed a forever family was out of reach. Now, he smiles more. Dreams bigger. Lives fuller. He plays basketball, attends school dances, and proudly wears his Cub Scout uniform.
Angels Watch: A Lifeline for Families Like Karlee’s
After fleeing abuse, Karlee, a single mom, leaned on Angels Watch to safely care for her son while she focused on healing. A host family stepped in with love, and Karlee returned stronger.
“I came back a healthier mother… and now I have a support system I never had before.” –Karlee
Kansas: Building from the Ground Up
Launched in 2014, our Kansas Foster Care program now supports 180 youth daily in over 110 foster homes. Our services span therapeutic, traditional, respite, foster-to-adopt care, adoption-only families, and kinship families.
Lifelong Dedication: Debra Boyd’s Story
At 65, Debra Boyd has fostered children for nearly three decades. She recently became our first therapeutic foster parent and was awarded an Eckerd Connects’ Success Award to upgrade her kitchen—because she believes every child deserves not just a meal, but a place at the table.
“Every child deserves to feel valued, supported, and cared for.” – Debra Boyd
A Fresh Start: Jasmin’s Independence
Jasmin, who has developmental delays, lived safely in the same foster home for nine years. With support from her foster family and Eckerd Connects, she graduated high school and is now moving into her first apartment—armed with new life skills and a new bedroom set, thanks to an Eckerd Connects’ Success Award.
“It will be a fresh start into adulthood for myself—my own space.” – Jasmin
Florida: Rebuilding Bonds Through Supportive Visitation
Our Supportive Supervised Visitation Program (SVP) in Volusia, Putnam, and Flagler counties is changing the way families reunify. Rooted in the Nurturing Parenting Curriculum™, this short-term program strengthens bonds through coaching, mentoring, and positive parenting strategies.
The Evans Family: From Apprehension to Reunification
When Deyanni Evans began SVP, fear and doubt loomed large. With the help of her visitation specialist, Eddie Underwood, she built trust, honed her parenting skills, and—most importantly—was successfully reunified with her children in July 2024. Her story reminds us that with the right support, families can heal and begin again.
Become a Foster Parent: Be the Change a Child Is Waiting For
If you’ve ever felt a calling to make a difference, fostering may be the most impactful step you’ll ever take. Our team provides:
- Free training
- Ongoing case management
- 24/7 support
- A dedicated network of compassionate professionals
Whether you’re fostering to reunify, support, or adopt—you can change a life.
Foster parenting isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being present. About showing up, day after day, and saying: “You matter.”
Join the Eckerd Connects family and become part of a growing network of love, care, and transformation.