Welcome to Embers and Wind!

Guest Richard Villasana states “My empathy for Latino children in foster care came from the fact that they are undeserved in the foster care industry. I have a particular draw to them because of my background which involves doing international business in Latin America, and also, being Latino myself and the fact that these children have special challenges in the foster care system. The foster care system really is not prepared to deal with these children. Because of that lack of resources and education, I feel that these children are being undeserved.”

 I'm your host, Keith Weedman. In each podcast episode, you will hear stories. These stories will feel like a tender wind blowing on the embers of service that glow within you. In this weekly show, you will learn ideas, kindling for your embers. It will be your choice to utilize the gentle wind to ignite the kindling. 

In this episode, Richard shares that he grew up In Texas in a household with nine children and loving parents. He shares how he became a champion for Latino children who are in foster care in the United States. He talks about the language barrier and the cultural barrier. He asserts the reason that there are not enough Latino foster parents who speak Spanish is due to cultural differences. He shares stories of children and teenagers who were placed in the home of family and the essential role Forever Homes for Foster Kids plays in helping child protection agencies find family members living in the United States and in other countries. He shares the joy he experiences each time Forever Homes for Foster Kids finds a permanent family relative home for a foster child. He talks about the professional sales training he has received and how that helps him with fundraising and collaborating to help more foster children. He shares his own positive experience utilizing Facebook for fundraising to financially support their not-for-profit organization. He notes Facebook started helping not-for-profit organizations with fundraising three years ago and how that change has “transformed” his agency. He confirms that Forever Homes for Foster Children is helping the federal government reunite children with their parents who had previously been separated by the federal government at the border between Mexico and the United States in accordance with the federal government’s family separation policy. He talks about the book he has already written and is publishing about the effect of this family separation policy on parents and children who were separated. His book includes stories of children who were separated from their parents and placed into foster care that Forever Homes for Foster Kids has helped locate parents and relatives for reunification. His book also projects the long-term effect of this policy upon the United States. 

Forever Homes for Foster Kids website is listed as the website for this episode. To connect with Richard, Richard invites you to visit the Forever Homes for Foster Kids Facebook page by clicking on this link: https://www.facebook.com/FAMILYFINDINGMX. Richard states that the best way to help Forever Homes for Foster Kids fulfill their mission is by providing financial support through their website or their Facebook group. He closes with a benevolent Call-to-Action inviting you to share a post from Forever Homes for Foster Kids Facebook page to help educate more people about the needs of foster children. 

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