HAMILTON — The Marion County Department of Human Resources will hold free foster parent classes beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at the DHR offices in Bedford Industrial Park in Hamilton.
According to local child advocate, foster parent and founder of Kids for Life, Melissa Mathieson, there is a greater need for local foster parents than ever before, with a record number of children needing foster care.
There are not enough foster homes in Marion County. Can you help? A nationally-renowned minister recently noted if every church in America fostered one child in need, there would be enough homes for every child.
Marion County has a lot of churches. Maybe it’s not possible for every church to help support a foster family, but every church can add the need for more local foster homes to its prayer list.
Dear Editor:
It is time to come together on behalf of over 400,000 American children and youth who are in foster care because their families are in crisis, and they cannot currently provide safe, nurturing home environments. Approximately 5,800 of these children are in Alabama’s foster care system, and 45 of them are right here in Marion County. These children need safe, stable and loving homes where they can stay until they can safely reunite with their biological parents or establish other lifelong family relationships.
By Louis Mellini
Staff writer
HAMILTON — With the growing need of foster families in Marion County rising every year, Marion County has had its need of foster families growing as well.
Luckily for the county, Hamilton resident Melissa Mathieson has been one of a few to step up to the plate.
Mathieson began her journey in foster care after a storm damaged her home in 2017.
“When we were in the process of rebuilding our house, I always felt like we were building our house for something bigger than us or for somebody other than us,” said Mathieson.
