ANGELICA's STORY

NOTE - The youth's names have been changed and images withheld for their privacy and protection because they are still in foster care awaiting permanence. Through their stories, though, their identities and personalities are as vivid as their futures are bright.



My name is Angelica and I am 17 years old. I like a little bit of rock music and R &B. Most of the time I listen to murder mystery podcasts. It’s not soothing but it is something interesting to listen to when I do my hair, cook for myself or clean.


Getting my GED. I took a test for reading and passed. Now I have science, math, social studies, writing and ELA. I hope to finish by the end of the school year. After I get my GED, I want to take a year to focus on my interests. When I turn 18.5, I might leave the facility and transfer to independent living. I want to be in extended foster care to help me get on my feet and learn adulting properly since I do not have an adult family member to help me like children who have family. I’m by myself but extended foster care will help me in emergencies and with doctor’s appointments and stuff like that.


My mom died and my dad was killed. I didn’t know him except that he was a liar and a deceiver, and nobody believed me when I told them about him. I came into care in 2021 because I lived in a toxic environment. After I ran away from there and when I refused to return, the police brought me to the group home and I’ve lived here ever since. I’m thinking it was for the best for me because I was not necessarily at home. I was somewhere where I could get kicked out at any moment. Foster care was better than that. I’ve heard bad things about foster care, but everyone’s experience is different, and it’s been good for me. The place I’ve been put, I’m grateful for. God gave me a chance at a better life. I have more opportunities here. I have everything that I need and sometimes they give me things that I want. 


If I needed help, I could call Ms. Arielle and Ms. Darinesha [employees at the group home]. I don’t know what that means, if you mean someone to talk to, then maybe my CASA.


I don’t know what I want to do career-wise but I want to work at Wal-Mart so I can make money to do something special for myself. I’m going to save every dime and put it in my saving account so I can go on a camping trip or race car driving. My goal amount to save is $10K. I have over 25% of that.


April 12, 2023 – Banding Day!

I needed braces because I felt that my confidence level would go up. Before I had them, I was frowning a lot and I didn’t want people to talk to me because I felt that if I opened my mouth I would be judged. I had gaps and I felt worthless and insecure without braces. A lot of kids in elementary talked about my clothes so I was already very self-conscience about how I looked. I was sad and depressed about it. Teeth are a really important part of the face.


I know that process is hard but as it has gone on, they closed the gap and I made two friends. People started to notice me because I opened my mouth. I never had money to get them but now I have them and they’re mine. I’m very happy to have braces. I’m not conscious of my mouth and even though my mouth sticks out, it’s okay because people know I’m getting things done about my spaces. It makes me want to have friends.


At first, I took it seriously, but after having braces for a while I started not to take it as seriously. Then I went to the dentist, and he said I had to do better and what’s the point of having straight teeth if my jaw is slanted. So I said to myself, “Why waste this woman’s money?” and now I brush, floss and wear my rubber bands seriously.


Last Thoughts:

I am thankful for the people who decided to donate to help me get the braces. I am thankful for you, Ms. Lacy, because you are the person who made this happen. Without you, who is helping the process? No one. So, I am thankful for you. 

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2024 - A Year in Review

By Leslie Lacy • January 17, 2025
read about what Fostering Hope Louisiana accomplished in 2024 with your help

Epiphany Grace

July 2, 2024
NOTE - The youth's names have been changed and images withheld for their privacy and protection because they are still in foster care awaiting permanence. Through their stories, though, their identities and personalities are as vivid as their futures are bright. August 2023 My name is Epiphany Grace. I’m 15 years old and in the 7 th grade. In my free time I enjoy listening to worship songs and Zack Bryan. I play volleyball and softball (catcher, third, second and outfield) but it’s just a hobby. I came into foster care in December of 2022 because I was living with my sister who relapsed and because I missed a lot of school. Also, she was mentally and physically abusive to me. My mother is in Shreveport and my dad is in Kentucky. I do not want to live with them. If I had to rate my foster care experience, it has been good for me because my foster mom supports me. She was my science teacher, and she shows she cares about me. Actions speak louder than words. Foster care showed me a schedule and that there are other people out there who have been through things and it's not just me. The one bad thing about it is not having social media, but it’s probably a good thing. I needed it to be away from me, but I didn’t want it to be. I’m in therapy, where I get direction when I don’t know how to handle a problem. If I needed help, one person I could go to is my foster mom because she supports me in all of my ideas. I could also call on my DCFS case manager. I love her. She is the best I could ever have because she goes with the child’s best interest and puts my decision out there. June 2024 At a moment, I wanted to go back to the way I was living, not because I liked the situation but because I was never used to being stable and I’m not great with change. I’m so happy I stuck through my feelings and let God move in mysterious ways. I’m now adopted and love where I am so, therefore, wait and see what God has planned. Epiphany Grace’s Comments on her Banding Day June 17, 2024 Wow! This is just amazing. This feels weird but so relieving. I’m so excited for the future and what God has planned. I’m so grateful for Mrs. Leslie! She is a miracle from God. Without her none of this would be possible. It was a wait, but so worth it. You have done so much for all these kids/people who have been through the worst. I’m so blessed to have this happen to me. Banding Day Thoughts - A Foster Parent's Perspective Jenny – Epiphany Grace’s Foster Parent What a phenomenal program Fostering Hope Louisiana and Mrs. Lacy is. Little did I know that working in an orthodontic office at 18 years old would give me patience. Fast forward 23 years and I have been blessed with a foster child in desperate need of orthodontic care, not just for vanity’s sake, but also a dental need. However, when you say yes to the call, how do you afford it all. The short answer is, you don’t and that’s where Fostering Hope Louisiana has filled the gap and carried our foster child and us through this transition. The wait [for braces] was long but it allowed others to fall in love with our child. Waiting was hard and seemed to be never ending, then all of a sudden, we were funded and making appointments. For me, the process has taught me love, patience, and seeing God at work not only in our lives but seeing the generosity of others. For my foster daughter, today is a dream come true. For kids in foster care, basic survival is all they can think of, so braces are a pipe dream. Seeing her shed tears of joy because 1. She finally isn’t receiving empty and broken promises, and 2. the ONE thing that has given her so much insecurity is finally no longer going to stop her from truly smiling and so much radiant brightness. I can never say enough great things about this program and all it has done, is doing and will continue to do in the future. The best is yet to come! IT IS WORTH THE WAIT!!!  Epiphany Grace - Hindsight July 2024 Before I got my braces, I was impatient and always second guessed if I was ever going to get them. Mrs. Lacy did, in fact, guarantee that I was going to get them but there was always a thought in my head, “something is going to go wrong, and you won’t get them.” But I had hope. I always texted and checked in with her on how everything was going. When the day came to get them, I was so excited. The first ten days were the worst, but now everything is well. I’m so grateful that I just waited. Epiphany Grace's Thoughts on Therapy July 2024 Therapy! At first, I DID NOT want to go at AT ALL. I always said that I didn’t need or want it. I never wanted to go. In the room with my therapist, I always would watch the clock waiting for her to say, “Okay, you made it.” Now that I accepted the fact that I have to go to therapy, it’s been an amazing thing for me. I didn’t have a choice when it came to going to therapy. IT also majorly depends on your therapist. If you don’t like them, you will NOT like therapy. I love mine and now I look forward to it, so just keep giving it a try and see what good benefits it can bring you.

Jocelyn's Story

February 1, 2024
NOTE - The youth's names have been changed and images withheld for their privacy and protection because they are still in foster care awaiting permanence. Through their stories, though, their identities and personalities are as vivid as their futures are bright. My name is Jocelyn and I’m 17 years old. My playlist consists of Korn and Metallica. In my free time I like playing Pokémon, watching Anime, reading Manga and listening to music. They are the things I do to practice self-care. I have crooked teeth. I think that it would help me with my speaking because I have a lisp. I just want straight teeth. I’m probably going to work at like the mall or something. I’m thinking at Hot Topic. I don’t know if I want to go to school or anything. I came into care because my mom was mentally ill. She’s schizo-affective bi-polar, some other things like that. My bio dad died when I was like 3. After high school I'm probably going to work at the mall or something. I don't know if I want to go to school or something. My foster care experience overall was probably like okay but my first one was bad because they didn’t know anything about mental health and stuff like that. They were just like really hateful. They would compare their experience, or my old foster mom would compare her experiences and childhood trauma with ours. She was overall super childish and inappropriate. I have ADHD, she acted like I didn’t have it. There just wasn’t an effort to be compassionate or educate themselves about mental health. In my current foster home, they’re patient and the they know about mental health, like taking medication and know about that type of stuff. Foster care has made my life better because I feel like I opened up better (with my current placement), I am learning how to be an adult – like driving practice. If there was one thing I would change about foster care it would be mental health awareness. I feel like there can be more done with how the foster homes are chosen, like educating them about autism, disorders, and trauma and stuff like that. I wish my first foster home were more educated and understanding like my current home.
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