Leslie Kimbell is looking for someone special – a person willing to become a foster parent for one of the 14,000 children in Georgia’s foster care system.
Kimbell is in the process of producing a documentary to illustrate the plight of these children in the hope of encouraging people to help.
“My goal is to reach one person,” she said. “If I can reach one person who would become a foster parent, it would be worth it. It would be worth all the time we’re putting into it because there is such a need.”
Two years ago, Kimbell and her husband were waiting to adopt a child when they were asked to serve as foster parents. Kimbell said the experience made her aware of the difficulties children in state care face and motivated her to take action.
“I just want every opportunity to put a light bulb over someone’s head where they say ‘Hey, maybe I could do that’,” she said. “It’s so rewarding, it’s so wonderful and the children really need the homes.”
Kimbell, a former television host at WCTV – 24 in Winder, has partnered with the station to film the documentary. Kimbell hopes the program, which will initially air on WCTV – 24, will eventually be aired statewide.
“We hope to get it to as many small stations as we can,” she said.
Kimbell said despite the fact so many children are in state care, there are only 4,100 approved foster families available.
“The need for foster families that can be there, comfort these children, provide for them and give them as much normalcy as possible while they’re in foster care is so great,” Kimbell said.
Kimbell hopes to educate people about the process and eliminate the negative perceptions people have about children in foster care.
“I think people have preconceived notions about children in foster care and they don’t want to deal with the problems,” she said. “[people think] that all the kids are really bad and destructive and out of control, that they’ve all been abused and come with all this baggage and nobody wants to deal with them. That’s not always the case. That’s why we specifically got into it – to help children in need.”
Kimbell said while some children have special needs, the children mainly need mentoring and the one on one attention that they cannot receive in a group home.
“Once they’re around eight years old, they’re considered difficult to place. A lot of them do end up in group homes,” she said.
Kimbell said older children, in particular, need the help foster parents provide.
“The goal of foster care is to reunite the children with their birth family and to help the birth family along and help them achieve the goals they need to take care of their children,” she said. “Sometimes this happens, sometimes it does not happen and the children end up going into an adoptive situation. But, every effort is made to get the family back.”
According to Kimbell, foster parents help thousands of Georgia children as they await a reunion with their families or placement in a permanent home.
“There’s quite a bit that you have to do [to become a foster parent]. But, if you have the drive and the determination, it’s very rewarding,” she said. “It’s just such a blessing. It’s a blessing for the children and it’s a blessing for you.”
Kimbell hopes to finish her as yet untitled documentary next month.
“I would love to see it released by the spring, but there is no definite timeline on it right now,” she said.
The documentary will include an interview with Georgia First Lady Mary Perdue as well as several other foster care advocates.
“If I could just reach one good family out there that would see the plight of these children and become a foster parent, that would be wonderful,” KImbell said. “Obviously, I hope it will reach more, but if I could just reach one that would be a miracle in itself I think.”
For more information on becoming a foster parent, visit www.myturnnow.com, www.adoptuskids.org or call the Georgia Department of Human Resources Division of Family and Children Services at 1-877-210-KIDS (5437).
