Imagine being very clear on the idea that you and your spouse will remain child-free, and then…you parent a teenager! Mara Shorr and her husband, Russell, did just that. This path began when Mara had a conversation with a good friend about becoming a volunteer advocate for a child in foster care. Between not being a parent and not knowing much about the foster care system, Mara wasn’t sure this was the right move for her. But Mara’s experience as a healthcare advocate for her grandmother and her brother, who struggled with substance abuse, actually prepared her well for this role.

Mara has advocated for four children; and the third was a teenager Mara and Russell invited to live with them. About advocating and fostering, Mara says, “It is the most worthwhile and heartbreaking thing to do.” She shares about their experience becoming a big blended family with her teen’s relatives, navigating “trauma landmines,” and offers suggestions on the variety ways in which people can support children in the foster care system. Very inspiring!

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