Miguel and Ronald's Family

Wilton Manors, FL

When Miguel and I lived in Vermont, we were foster parents for a number of young children. We worked with Casey Family Services and were therapeutic foster parents for hard-to-place youngsters.   

One 12-year-old boy was hard to place because he liked to touch girls and women inappropriately.  It was not safe for him to be in a family where women were present. Since we were a gay couple, he was able to be in our household without putting anyone in danger.  

One 16-year-old was still in his parent's legal custody, but he and his mom were constantly fighting. Because she was a school teacher and because one fight almost turned violent, the parents felt that they needed to place him into the state's custody before something really bad happened.  The parents picked us to be the foster parents because the mom didn't want another mom in the picture competing with her.  We helped this child get through high school and into college. This is an enormous achievement because less than 2% of foster kids get to college.  

Another 16-year-old came to us for respite care when his oversight team suspected that he might be gay, and they wanted him to have positive, gay role models in his life. We showed him that gay people are just like any other people and that we were like any other family.  Months later he was able to come out to his foster parents on his own terms. 

There are so many foster kids who need help. There are not enough foster care beds to go around. Why would you limit the number of placements when a gay or lesbian couple might be exactly what someone needs to help improve their life.