Cover Story SHERRIE PADILLA COOKS WITH HER ADOPTED DAUGHTER.
FOSTER PARENT STEPHEN DILLARD WITH HIS FOSTER SON
Fostering Stability How Amarillo’s foster community changes the lives of kids in need By Jonathan Baker PHOTOS BY ANGELINA MARIE
W
e might hear talk of foster kids, but how often do we really give them any thought? In the state of Texas, there are nearly 30,000 children in “substitute care” (a term that encompasses out-of-home placements like foster care and group homes). Nationwide, the number approaches half a million, and today in the United States, there are nearly 125,000 children waiting to be adopted into foster homes. During a time when the country is in turmoil, it’s helpful to think in terms of gratitude, and one of the best ways to do that is to be thankful for our own families – and maybe even provide a family for a child who doesn’t have one.
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AMARILLO.COM/AMARILLO-MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2021
