By Tiffany White | Chanel Nicole Co.
Learn how attending the Explore Foster Care + Adoption Conference connects future parents with the right support system.
When Terrance B. attended our Explore Foster Care + Adoption Conference in 2025, he was looking for guidance on navigating the foster care process. He walked away with the knowledge and confidence to change a child’s life.
The annual event is a collaborative effort between St. Joseph Children’s Home and nine sister agencies that provide foster care services across the region. Explore offers a comfortable, low-pressure space to connect with representatives, ask questions, and learn at your own pace. Terrance notes that these one-on-one conversations are invaluable when choosing an agency: “Your agency is your support system, so you need to make sure you find one that offers the right kind of support for you. Every foster parent’s needs are different. Going to the conference allows you to gather information, speak directly with different team members, understand each agency’s process, and figure out what works best for your family.”
Terrance, who fosters through St. Joe’s, was originally matched with a boy in our residential program and has since begun the adoption process. “My plan was to just foster,” Terrance shares. “In the beginning, I wasn’t open to adoption, but during the foster care training, something changed in me… I saw how much these kids needed help. They need a true support system.”
Though his son faced a tumultuous childhood before coming to St. Joe’s, his spirit remained unbroken. “He is such a forgiving, lighthearted person. He has been let down so much, but instead of using it as a fire for negativity, he uses it as fuel for positivity.”
Today, the two are building a solid family together with hopes of adopting his sister as well. ”He started calling me ‘Pops’ recently,” Terrance says. “I was so overwhelmed. It felt like approval, and I knew we were moving in the right direction.” For anyone considering fostering, Terrance offers straightforward advice: “Do it and stand strong in your choice. If you are thinking about it, you have what it takes.”
Join Us at Explore
Date: Saturday, November 7
Time: 8:45 AM – 12:45 PM
Location: St. Joseph Children’s Home