Ashley Rhodes-Courter had it rough growing up in the foster-care system.
She was removed from her birth mother when she was 3.
Yet, Rhodes-Courter, 32, used that painful past to propel herself to a positive future.
Ethan plays a game of Frisbee with his father, Erick Smith. Rhodes-Courter and Erick Smith opened their home to 25 foster children in five years, shortly after their were married. Tina Russell/The Penny Hoarder
She founded a direct-services agency Sustainable Family Services and a nonprofit organization theFoundation for Sustainable Families.
Both concentrate on assisting families in need.
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Some placements were for only a few days or weeks.
Other foster kids stayed for several months to more than a year.
So I had confidence in myself that we were savvy enough to navigate the various systems of care.
Affording New Additions
Rhodes-Courter and Smith fostered mostly children under the age of 5.
To help foster parents manage the expenses involved with raising children, child-welfare agencies also grant monthly subsidies.
The amount can vary based on several factors, including the needs of the child and the familys location.
Seeking specialized medical and developmental care for certain children was another expense her family took on.
They also had to buy some home-safety equipment to become licensed foster parents.
There are little things that maybe a traditional home may or may not have, she said.
Like we had to have fire extinguishers.
We had to verify that we had thermometers in the freezer and the refrigerator.
Eliminating Financial Barriers
Rhodes-Courter said people interested in fostering shouldnt let finances deter them.
Also, adopting Penny Hoarder ways can help.
Rhodes-Courter said she was a heavy couponer, bought clothes secondhand and swapped baby supplies with other parents.
You dont have to fit into a certain box to foster.
The reality is there are not enough foster families to go around, Rhodes-Courter said.
The point is to provide a safe, loving, nurturing home.
Rhodes-Courter stressed that families should never make the decision to foster for monetary reasons.
The Emotional Costs of Fostering
Rhodes-Courter not only endured emotional scars as a foster kid.
Her experience as a foster mother also took an emotional toll.
Its the objective of foster care to get these kids back into their families of origin, she said.
Our beds never stayed empty for very long because theres so much of a need.
The couple adopted then-1-year-old Skyler in 2013.
Yet Rhodes-Courter said people shouldnt go into fostering thinking its an easy path to adoption.
Though no longer foster parents, they continue to advocate for children and help families thrive.
We just felt the calling and the need, Rhodes-Courter said.
Nicole Dow is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
She enjoys writing about families and finances.
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