CALEB'S CLOSET

Madi Grace

Meet Madilynn Grace. Madilynn arrived at her Lubbock foster home with a diaper bag full of dirty clothing covered in vomit and reeking of cigarettes. The diaper bag also held a handful of partially smoked cigarettes and a bloody rag. That is everything she owned. When she was 2 months old she was shaken, called a “little b$#@!” and slammed into her car seat where she spent almost all of her time. She was severely overfed because every time she cried, she would get a bottle shoved in her mouth to “shut her up.” So, she spent her days getting yelled at and vomiting in her car seat from being overfed. This is not an example of what could happen. This was my daughter’s reality before she came to us. If there had not been a foster home for her to go to, Madilynn would have continued to live that horror daily.

Some may feel that Madilynn’s story is too upsetting to share. But this is the reality for too many children. We often don’t understand the reality of what these children face until we are willing to open ourselves up to the emotional side of it. If it is upsetting for us to read these children’s stories, imagine what it is like for these children to live in these tragic situations.

Please, consider being a foster parent. These children are our responsibility. They need people willing to walk through this storm with them.

“But, it’s not a good time for us.” There will never be a perfect time in your life. These children are dealing with abuse and neglect right now, this minute. This is an emergency. You would not tell your 2 month old baby that you would love to help but it is not a good time for you.

“I’m scared of getting hurt.” They are too. It’s already happening to them right now. If you can say their safety is more important than your feelings, then you can do this.

You can foster with the plan to adopt. You can foster only. We can send you in the right direction. We know the people you need to talk to. Caleb’s Closet was founded by and is still run by foster parents. We will go to an information meeting with you. WE WILL DRIVE YOU THERE. If you have space in your home and heart, we are asking you on their behalf to please go now. Get licensed. There are not near enough foster homes in our community. You could be a safe place for a kid to go.

Madilynn Grace- her story started with abuse and severe neglect but it did not end there. She is forever in a safe home and fiercely loved because we said she was more important than our feelings. She is so, incredibly worth everything we experienced while on our foster care journey with her. – Frances Cardoza, Co-Founder of Caleb’s Closet

When children come into care, their biological parents have a year to work services and take classes in order for their child to return to them. Sometimes these cases can come to a close before that 12 month mark, but often, these cases go past the 12 month mark. Meanwhile, while these cases and extensions are happening, the children are left in a state of limbo, waiting for some form of permanency in their lives. This is where we as foster parents step in to try and give that sense of normalcy while we offer safety.

“After 691 days of being in our home, Emmitt took our last name and we made a commitment in front of the Court and our ‘village’ that we would love, provide for, and keep this little guy safe in his forever home!” – Shane Moran, Caleb’s Closet Board Member.