How often have we heard the old adage, “There is no place like home”? Home is a place of belonging, where—no matter how lowly or lavish—you are surrounded by the comfort of safety. Familiar fragrant notes fill the air. Echoes of a favorite television show play in the background. Or better yet, even the high-pitched beep of a smoke detector pleading for a battery change feels like part of the rhythm of daily life.
Home is that familiar place where the sum of perfect imperfections forms a refuge. But for the 343,077 children in foster care across the United States, home can feel like an elusive destination, always just out of reach.
Behind each one of those numbers is a child with dreams, feelings, and desires. Their stories are often shaped by loss, resilience, and hope. They hope for their homes, which are often marked by trauma, to be restored with safety, security, and joy. They hope for reunification. And in cases when reunification is not an option, they often hope to find a home marked by love, safety, and belonging through adoption. Yet the road from uncertainty to stability is rarely straightforward.
Joelle's Story
One such story belongs to Joelle*. As an infant, she was placed into foster care with the hope that, in time, she might be reunited with her biological mother. Joelle was placed with Bob* and Cindy* Larsen*, who had adopted their first child, Danny*, in 2014 after learning that biological children were not an option for them to expand their family.
For a season, reunification was the plan for Joelle. Her caseworkers held out hope that stability could be restored for her birth mother. At one point, there were ongoing discussions with the newborn’s grandmother, but as months passed, the plan began to change.
Then came an unexpected phone call. Joelle’s biological mother had given birth to another baby girl, Celina*. Like her sister, Celina needed a safe and loving home. The Larsens quickly welcomed her into their care, ensuring the sisters could stay together.
The girls’ grandmother wrestled with the decision of adopting both, but ultimately, with the girls’ best interests in mind, she supported the Larsens as adoptive parents. Other options faded, and the path for Joelle and Celina became clear.
Throughout the journey, the Larsens prayed for God’s will to prevail, even if that meant Joelle and Celina would not remain in their home. But by February 2025, their prayers were answered in a way they had long hoped for: they officially adopted Joelle and Celina into their family. With Danny by their side, the sisters were embraced into a forever family, a home they could truly call their own.
*Names and photo changed for privacy.
Stories of Life-Change
Their story reflects what so many children in foster care long for: a secure, steadfast, loving home. And it is only one of thousands of stories made possible each year through the work of One More Child.
Last year alone, One More Child served 1,999 children and individuals through foster care and celebrated 108 children adopted into forever homes. Moreover, 271,193 children and individuals received Christ-centered services, 18,730,589 meals were distributed nationally and globally, and 100,692 more individuals were reached through advocacy, training, awareness, and volunteering.