Latest news with #fostercare
CBS News
9 hours ago
- General
- CBS News
Stormwater floods Macomb County animal shelter, sends agency scrambling to financially recover
A nonprofit animal shelter in Macomb County, Michigan, is struggling to recover from the cost of storm-related flooding at its shelter. "To say we are heartbroken is an understatement," A ReJoyceful Animal Rescue in Clinton Township related on social media about the circumstances. ReJoyceful focuses its efforts on cat and dog rescue situations, such as a cat that had significant injuries from another animal attack and stray dogs that were living outside amid the heat wave. The agency describes itself as a no-kill, foster-based organization, using short-term foster situations to help match animals to adoptive homes. On June 18, the building was flooded through at least two rounds of storms backed up a storm drain and that sent water rushing inside the shelter, ruining supplies, furniture and equipment. "We've worked so hard building up our shelter and making it comfortable for the animals we care for. In a matter of minutes, this was all destroyed," they said. In response to the disaster: Volunteers showed up to help push water out of the building. A flood recovery and restoration company was called to mitigate damage. The agency posted messages on social media for foster homes and foster-to-adopt homes, taking note of circumstances such as which pets should continue to stay together and which ones need to be the only animal in a home. Donations and ad hoc fundraisers, such as a T-shirt sal,e popped up to help the agency return to normal operations. Over $125,000 in donations have been raised. The community assistance is appreciated, as the insurance situation was not what they hoped for. The building itself is covered by the property owner's insurance; the agency is responsible for its own contents. The agency did have a renters' insurance policy, but ran into an exception on the policy that does not include certain water conditions. "Our insurance claim has been denied. There is nothing we can do," they explained. As of Thursday, the building is almost completely dried out, but there is still work and sanitizing to do. "We have contractors coming tomorrow to start on drywall, replace doors, replace trim, and to determine what more needs done. We are still in the process of sorting through what has been destroyed and needs to be dumped. The losses are immeasurable, we still don't have a number on how much this will actually cost us in the end as we're not even half way through sorting through the mess," the agency reported.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Being a Foster Dad Began to Take a Toll on Him. Days Later, He Received a Phone Call That Changed Everything (Exclusive)
Peter Mutabazi grew up in Uganda with a childhood marked by poverty He became a foster dad to help children in need, despite his initial doubts about being a single parent Mutabazi adopted his son, Anthony, who was returned to the hospital at age 11, and has since adopted two siblings, Luke and Isabella, and continues to support foster youthWhen Peter Mutabazi became a foster parent, he never anticipated that his role would evolve into something far deeper. Mutabazi's journey into foster care was driven by the intent to help, offering temporary refuge to children in need. However, his decision was also rooted in his own childhood experiences, which were shaped by poverty and hardship. "I'm from Uganda, so I grew up poor — the poorest of the poorest. No one told me to dream. No one told me to be hopeful," Mutabazi, 51, tells PEOPLE exclusively. As Mutabazi got older, things took a dramatic turn, and he decided to leave his home. He walked for miles until he arrived in the city of Kampala. Having never been outside of Uganda, the unfamiliarity was overwhelming, and Mutabazi quickly realized his only option was to survive on the streets. "As a street kid on the streets of Kampala — in any third world country — you are treated more like a stray animal," the foster dad, who goes by the name @fosterdadflipper on Instagram, says. "The way people viewed you, the way people treated you, everyone who was kind was abusive." This was until Mutabazi met a stranger whom he tried to steal from, desperate for survival. However, instead of responding with anger or punishment, the man asked for his name. The stranger's unexpected kindness sparked a transformation in Mutabazi's own life, leading to a series of events that would take him out of survival mode and open the door to a future he had never imagined. "He offered me [the opportunity] to go to school after a year and a half, [so] I went and excelled in school," he recalls. "I really began to [wonder], if a stranger can see the best in me, what can I do? So then I got a scholarship to come to [the] United States." Mutabazi's early experiences of abandonment left an undeniable mark on him, and he couldn't shake the sense of responsibility he felt for those still suffering, especially children who, like him, were trapped in a cycle of neglect and pain. Initially, he believed that in order to adopt, you had to be married and Caucasian, as he had never seen a person of color adopt children where he came from. So he began exploring the possibility of mentoring teenagers until a social worker asked if he had ever considered foster care. "For the kindness of a stranger who changed my life, I wanted to do the same for kids," he says. "I think understanding kids in foster care, unloved, unwanted, being in homes [and] in places they didn't know, I thought I could give [them] a little glimpse of hope." The initial fostering process was overwhelming for Mutabazi, as the constant cycle of children coming and going left him heartbroken. Each time a child left, the emotional toll was unbearable, and the sadness lingered long after they were gone. 'When kids go, you are left in tears,' he says. 'I was like, 'Man, this job is really hard. I don't want to do this again.' I [eventually] told the social worker that I needed a break for [at least] six months. I needed to heal.' Little did he know, just a few days later, a phone call would change everything for him. 'The kids [I was fostering] had left [on a Monday] and I received a phone call on Friday,' he explains. 'The social worker said, 'Hey, there's a kid that needs a home,' and I said, 'Absolutely not.' But the social worker [proposed] dropping off the child and picking them up on Monday, so I said yes." Mutabazi didn't want to know anything about the child or form any sort of attachment, having just witnessed the departure of 11 children. '[The boy] arrived to my home and the social worker left, so I said, 'This is your bedroom, you can call me Mr. Peter,'' he recalls. He admits he was taken aback when the kid asked if he could instead call him Mutabazi's attempt to keep his distance, something in that moment began to shift. 'This kid had been in my home for only 20 minutes,' he continues. 'So he looks at me again, and says, 'I'm 11. I was told that since I'm 11, I can choose who my father should be. So I'm choosing you.'" When the social worker arrived on Monday to pick up the boy, Mutabazi signed the paperwork, but something compelled him to ask why he had initially been left at the hospital and where he would be going next. "The social worker told me he was adopted [but] the family that adopted him dropped him [off] at the hospital, never said goodbye and never gave a reason why they didn't want him," he explains. "That's when I realized, I've always wanted to be a dad, and this kid somehow knew I [would] be his dad. How did I not see it? That's when it all clicked." Mutabazi immediately took back the papers he had signed and asked the social worker for new paperwork so the boy could attend school. While it was heartbreaking to learn that the boy's family had relinquished their parental rights, it also opened the door for the possibility of boy, Anthony, was 11 when Mutabazi took him in, and since then, they have shared in many milestones, including graduation, visiting Uganda — Mutabazi's native country — for the first time, and attending Mutabazi's younger brother's wedding.'It's one of those things that were always meant to be," he says. "Of course, there is no journey without ups and downs, you're going to have challenges [because] that's life." "At first we had to [spend] almost a year and a half without [fostering] other kids, so we can get used [to each other], but once we got there, I think he knew my heart, and [that] I always want to help other kids who are in the same position,' he adopting Anthony, Mutabazi has fostered over 30 children and adopted two siblings, Luke and Isabella. The two siblings were originally meant to stay with Mutabazi for just the summer, but after being adopted, they've now spent four years together as a family. While Mutabazi has reached many people online, where he has over a million followers on TikTok and Instagram, he knows his work is far from finished and still strives to help others in need. In addition to sharing his experiences as a foster dad, he also actively raises money to help foster children in need of a home on his GoFundMe page.'I didn't sleep on a mattress until I was 16, and as a street kid, I never truly belonged anywhere, and that left me feeling unwanted, unloved, and less than human," he says. "But everything began to change when I finally had a stable place to rest. That simple gift, a safe space to sleep, gave me the sense of belonging I had never known.""That's why I now do room makeovers for foster youth, many of whom have moved through 12 or more homes before they turn 18," he adds. "For the first time, we're giving them dignity. We're reminding them they are seen, valued and worthy of calling a place home." Read the original article on People
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Live updates: 2025 legislative session draws to a close
The Oregon House of Representatives chamber is located in the west wing of the Oregon State Capitol in Salem. (Mia Maldonado / Oregon Capital Chronicle) After nearly six months in Salem, the Oregon Legislature must end its work by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 29. Before that can happen, lawmakers are set to take up a slimmed-down version of a transportation tax and spending bill and pass several dozen more bills. Capital Chronicle reporters will be at the Capitol and watching the action every step of the way. Check back here for live updates. 2 mins ago 33 mins ago 4 hours ago 2 mins ago Earlier this week Gov. Tina Kotek vetoed a bill aimed at strengthening protections for youth in foster care. The Senate quickly overrode her veto on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Oregon House voted 49-4 to table Senate Bill 875, preventing the Legislature from moving forward with a veto overturn this session. The bill would have required a court order for blocking or limiting contact among foster children and their siblings. The measure also lists out several rights for foster kids, including being assigned an attorney, maintaining access to personal belongings like toys and being given appropriate luggage to carry their belongings 33 mins ago House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, on Thursday morning removed Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth, from the Joint Transportation Reinvestment Committee, the first hurdle the revamped transportation bill faces. Evans earlier this week said he wanted off the committee because it was 'no use' to serve on it when all he could do was vote on a bill he was frustrated that he didn't have a role in negotiating. He remained frustrated on Wednesday, texting 'Not thrilled. Very, very frustrated with our current leadership.' Rep. John Lively, D-Eugene, will take Evans' place ahead of a meeting scheduled for 3:30 p.m. 4 hours ago Both the House and Senate are set to head to the floor at 10 a.m. Thursday. The House has a long list of bills to vote on, while the Senate has just seven scheduled so far. At 3:30 p.m., the pared-down transportation package expected to raise $11.7 billion over the next 10 years will have its only public hearing in the Joint Transportation Reinvestment Committee. Lawmakers on the committee plan to vote on the bill at 4:30, teeing up a potential House vote Thursday evening. Read more about the transportation proposal.
CBS News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Wednesday's Child: 12-year-old Kaiden
WBZ/MARE MARE - Kaiden is a charming girl with a wonderful sense of humor who enjoys being involved in a variety of activities. She loves dancing, singing, and creating art projects, using her creativity to express herself. Academically, Kaiden is very bright and right on track, showing great potential in her studies. To help with her social and emotional growth, Kaiden receives support in school, and she continues to thrive with the guidance of caring adults. Her enthusiasm, intelligence, and positive spirit make her a joy to be around. For more information you can contact MARE: 617-964-MARE (6273) or visit Since its inception in 1981, Wednesday's Child has been a collaboration of the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE), the Department of Children & Families and WBZ-TV/CBS Boston. Hosted by Jack Williams for 34 years, this weekly series has given a face and voice to the children who wait the longest for families. Wednesday's Child has helped find homes for hundreds of waiting children and continues to raise awareness about adoption from foster care.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Foster carers don't do it for cash, but NSW budget investment could make real difference
There was little cause for delight among Treasurer Daniel Mookhey's budget revelations. No exciting promises about shiny new metros. No new handouts to ease the pressure on household budgets. No credible path to achieving housing targets in New South Wales, although a $1 billion fund to improve supply will provide a welcome boost. The government is stabilising debt and forecasting a surplus in 2027/28, the first in almost a decade. But that won't exactly thrill voters. Ahead of every budget, treasurers are inundated with worthy funding requests and often those with the loudest voices win. So, it's significant that this time around, the government is helping those who can't speak up for themselves — the state's most vulnerable children. The NSW out-of-home care system is the biggest in the southern hemisphere, according to the government, with 14,000 children in the care of the state. Last year, a landmark report revealed the depths of despair it had sunk to. A chronic shortage of foster carers had pushed more and more children into temporary accommodation like motels and caravan parks, often under the supervision of unaccredited workers from labour hire firms. The Advocate for Children and Young People detailed the squalid conditions some children endured, like cockroach infestations and having no access to shower facilities. One child said they felt like a "doggy in the pound pretty much, moving cage to cage". The record $1.2 billion investment announced on Tuesday aimed to turn the system around. The government has already made solid progress by removing children from motels and will now use some of the new funding to attract more foster carers. Cole and Gina Young, from Rooty Hill, have fostered many children over ten years. They're currently caring for a 6-month-old boy who they welcomed into their home straight from hospital. Mr Young said anyone considering becoming a foster carer shouldn't hesitate. "It'll be the hardest thing you ever do in your life," he said. "We all see on TV kids without a home, without a roof over their head in different countries and we say how horrible that is," he said. "This is Australia and we've got kids like that here." Families and Communities Minister Kate Washington said carers young and old, single or married, could become a carer. "If you have got room in your home and your heart, please consider becoming a foster carer. We will support you," she said. A tax-free allowance will rise by 20 per cent, meaning the carer of a typical 14-year old will receive more than $1,000 per fortnight. As families face their own cost-of-living pressures, it will still be a major challenge to recruit enough carers. People don't foster children for the money, but the new support will certainly help. The funding package includes nearly $50 million for government-owned care homes. There's also more than $190 million to recruit more than 200 new caseworkers and retain existing workers with higher pay. Andrea Cartwright, a child protection worker from Ingleburn, said caseworkers experience chronic burnout and stress, with lack of staff meaning they can't perform the necessary welfare checks on children who might be at risk. "Hopefully now with this new announcement that's all going to change," Ms Cartwright said. "We're no longer the government's dirty little secret." As with foster carers, there are no guarantees the government will succeed in its recruitment drive for caseworkers, but it's sending a clear signal that it values people doing difficult jobs. The funding package is a significant win for Ms Washington who has fought hard within government to repair the crumbling child protection sector. It'll be an even bigger win for the thousands of children who rely on it.
