When Samantha met Kecia Wherry in 2006, she was just 11 years old and traveled from Colombia to the United States through Kidsave’s Summer Miracles program. Although she was being hosted by another family, Kecia and Samantha struck an inseparable bond. The Wherry Family later adopted her and her brother Antonio. Samantha is now is 26 and is currently completing her Master's in International Relations at the London School of Economics.
Dr. Lucas is a devoted advocate for human rights and equality in the U.S. and around the world.
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we honor a man who stood for equality and justice. We reflect on his ideas and actions, and we remind ourselves of our unyielding responsibility to advocate for others.
Jimy didn’t have an easy start. Born with toxoplasmosis Jimmy grew up losing his central vision, living in a Colombian orphanage for the blind for six years of his young childhood. That was until he accepted the chance of a lifetime to travel to the United States and participate in Kidsave's Summer Miracles program.
“Kidsave has changed my life... from meeting all the kids during the events to finding Mafe,” says Linda. “I feel like Kidsave is a second family to me. Kidsave made it possible for us to meet and changed Mafe’s future."
This holiday season they are especially thankful for each other. Julie now has a different perspective on family than ever before “Family just loves you the way you are, with all your mistakes,” says Julie.
For anyone interested in adopting a child from foster care, John’s advice is to be patient and open-minded to all possibilities. “I found an organization that allowed me to spend time face-to-face with the youth and then together they can see if there's a relationship that can blossom,” says John.
During November, a month to recognize the urgent need for adoptive families for children in foster care, Kidsave is calling the media and everyone else to act on this issue.
Kidsave’s Pathways to Success program in Ukraine was chosen as one of eight finalists to present at the European Mentoring Summit.
Imagine your family not wanting you and forcing you out of your home at a young age. This was Estefi's experience. Born in Colombia, her dad had passed away, and her mother did not spend any time focusing on her. Everything changed when she found a family through Kidsave.
