called the perfect family when he was ten. >> i was mentally and physically abused. >> it was hard. >> i remember when i was like, nobody loves me. nobody believes i can do anything. why should i be able to do anything. >> reporter: now with the support of a fos ster family his ambition and achievement have soared. she headed to u.c. santa barbara w hopes of a career in music. >> if my music doesn't happen i'll go to graduate school hopefully at harvard for either law or english, try to become president or become an english professor. >> reporter: like all foster children he had the need for someone to love him.

>> lisa is foster parent that provided that love to 12 foster children over the last eight years. it makes more than love. there are other basic needs. >> oftentimes you get children they have no clothes, nothing. they come to your home with nothing. i've had children who were taken from their home at midnight. they have nothing. >> that is where sleep train comes in asking people to donate school supplies and clothing. there are ads play year round. >> over 60,000 foster children having necessary school supplies can make the difference between success and failure. >> he got the idea after a toy drive for foster kids. >> we noticed when we delivered the toys, they didn't have shoes or didn't have jackets. they need the basic things. >> they rerely on the kindness

of strangers. companies like streep train try to make it easier for people to help. >> cheryl: hour first guest is jill day jobs, executive director have family builders and their mission is to find permanent families. i understand the mission statement. how does this work? >> we have a number of different programs and services. the mission is really simple. our job is to find permanent families and they can't be reunited of the family of origin or extended family. >> cheryl: it takes a long time to make the determinations. what happens when somebody wants to become a foster parent? >> the first thing is to come to an orientation like family builders. explain the need who they are

that have been in the foster care system, why they are there and what we need from families. being a foster parent is challenge but it's a tremendously rewarding. >> cheryl: who would be eligible? >> the most important criteria people can't have a criminal record or be involved in violence. if you speeding in weed 25 years ago we can overlook that. we do a full background check on everybody. we welcome single applicants both men and women. single men thought they can't be single parents but they can. we work traditional families and others. we really welcome everyone. we try to figure out to bring families into the process.

>> cheryl: so if somebody applies how long does it take? >> it takes four to six months. that is the training and preparation and paperwork. once you are ready, then you begin to match the family with a child. >> once the child is placed on adoptive and you have completed all, that do you check back with them? >> we do. when a child is being placed in adoptive family we're actually there, our social workers are working with the family, out once a week to once or twice a month. they are helping the family to make sure everybody is attaching and bonding with each other and really supporting the family. we see adoptive parents that need to be front and center as the parent. we are in the background to help them do that. with the family anywhere 12-18 months before the adoption is finalized.

then we make a lifelong commitment to families and kids. so they can check in and get a lot of phone calls when the kids hit adolescents and they are being challenged. we have community resources. we have a couple events every year where we encourage families come back and check in and see how they are doing. >> cheryl: does it matter if the family has money or not, whether you are rich or poor? >> no, there is no income requirement. folks need to have some income, raising kids is not inexpensive and shoes and jean and hair not to mention groceries. there is no income requirement. we have families meager meanings and live in an apartment. but beyond that you don't have

to own your own home or ranch. we are looking for families that can step up the challenges and meet their needs. >> cheryl: stay with us. when we continue, jill is going to at the time us about a unique program. here is important information how you can help bay area foster programs. it's easy. like us on facebook and you will make a big difference to bay area foster children. one dollar goes to the campaign for every dollar we get.

>> cheryl: welcome back. today we're talking about foster care and again joined by jill jacobs executive director of family builders in oakland. you've been with them for 16 years. you know your stuff. i want to let you know for folks

at home you may not know between 25-40 homeless and runaway people identify themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender. family builders helps gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender find permanent homes. and you call it the pride and joy program. >> we do call the pride and joe program. as mother myself every youth should have a parent that is proud have them and that includes gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth. we started we were seeing most of the time when they were coming in the foster care system for a long time. they are put into group homes or some kind of other care. i think there is a belief system that maybe somebody wouldn't love a gay kid. we really want to change that. we wanted to recruit families, gay and straight, to be foster

parents and adoptive parents. we want to show the youth with the families that love them. almost two-thirds identified gbbt's are actually there because of their identity even in the bay area. they were rejected or they came out and rejected by their family because harassment and bullying and all the other things, foster care is not a good place for them. they probably should have a foster family and adoptive family more than any other child. we are trying to recruit families to step up. >> are you finding some success in that? >> we are finding some success. there are amazing families who are stepping up but we need more. >> cheryl: are there other young

people like these folks? >> sure are the lgbt or mostly kids of color. children with significant disabilities. or they may have serious behavioral issues, children we need families for. >> families have to have patience. >> they have to be ready for a change and they have to understand the reason the children have challenging behaviors is because there may have been trauma in their live. >> and families can provide support for that, too. >> we provide support and it's wonderful program. >> cheryl: i have a statistic. according to report, 65% of leaving foster care do so without a place to live. >> they do. if we don't find a family for 12-18 months they are homeless

or incarcerated. one of great palgsz is work with other youth in the foster care system to make sure they have a permanent family before they leave the foster care system. >> cheryl: are there transitional programs that can help them? >> yes, there are but i think everybody should have a mom or a dad and keep the commitment that every child should have a parent. >> cheryl: how about the birth parents in some of these situations. do they ever come back and get involved? >> they do. one of the programs is working with older youth. our largest outcome is actually the birth parent. sometimes maybe mom had a drug problem earlier on and she has been clean and sober. so that is where we start.

you look at extended family and we look at different lens we have historical and that is paying off because the number of children in foster care is declining significantly. >> cheryl: jilt, thank you so much. we appreciate your insight and expertise. we have more information. next, we'll be joined by a young woman that will talk about her experience growing up in the foster care system and what is he doing. once again. it's easy. like us on facebook and you will make a huge difference. one dollar goes to the campaign. go to abc7news.c

>> cheryl: welcome back. we've been talking about foster care. in 2010 california lawmakers

passed assembly bill 12. it allows youth to grant transitional support until the age of 20, maybe 21. there is further legislation to clarify and make changes to ab-12. joining me is somebody that is front linings of the process. alea franklin from california youth connection in san francisco. you grew up in the faster care system. you know. >> yeah. >> cheryl: can you tell us about your experience. >> it was 1988, i aged out last year. i'm 18 now. it was a crazy experience. i managed to find positives out of it. i went to college.

>> cheryl: and you are studying forensics. >> so what l would you change about the foster care system? >> if i could change something, it would probably be there is ones that are out there not caring for the children. from my own personal experience, a lot of foster parents don't really care for the children. i think they should train foster parents more how to help with the child's needs. >> cheryl: how did you make it through this, you are amazing? >> one thing that got me through is the fact i never used my past as an excuse to fail but a as motivation to do better.

>> cheryl: good for you. so you are working on ab-12 and ab-1712, tell us about that? >> ab-12 is a bill that was passed for foster youth to extend traditional services. basically until you are 20 right now but we're working on 21. it's an opportunity when foster youth get to 18, that is it. they would get taken out of care. with this bill, they have the opportunity and hope to have extra resources and extra help. >> cheryl: so it will help in case of money? >> right. >> cheryl: but that is the goal. what should lawmakers know about foster children? >> i think lawmakers should just

know they are somebody's child. >> cheryl: absolutely. and how can people get involved to try to change this system? >> i think maybe just write to legislators, there are other ways, i don't know exactly. >> cheryl: tell me about the california youth connection? >> its nonprofit organization that is youth led. it basically promotes changes on a legislative level. we do things like deliver capital and talk to people there and lobby. we have been working on ab-12 to get it passed. >> cheryl: i have to ghrailt

congratulate you. i am really proud of you. let me shake your hand. >> cheryl: we do have to take a break. we're going to right back with more beyond the had he headlines. we would like us on facebook. one dollar goes from sleep train dream campaign for every dollar. ♪

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>> cheryl: welcome back. today we're talking about foster care, we learned how to get involved with a fostering program that help gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth. right now we are joined by maria cotton. show is foster parent that opened her home in need of a family. is it true that you have five foster children?

>> yes. >> cheryl: my goodness. that is remarkable. why did you get involved with this? >> i love children. i was only able to have two. >> cheryl: so you have seven kids in your home? >> you are remarkable. but you have some other influences. >> i had my grandmother, my mom and two sisters. >> everybody is involved in foster care. i how has that changed your life? >> a lot. there is times when they come to your home. some have them have behaviors but you cry when they leave. i had one that just left and it touched your heart. they feel like they don't have a home or somebody that loves them. my heart opened up to them.

>> cheryl: you mentioned there were some of the challenges. >> you have children come in. they will look at you and say you are not my mom. it's just like i don't want to be here. you can tell them you love them but they say, don't. so you keep pushing, taking your time and let them feel you. once they feel you they will latch on. i had one i loved to death. >> cheryl: you see them change. >> i had him almost two years. him and his sister. >> cheryl: when they leave, why are some the reasons? >> some go back home. some is old enough to transition to move out.

>> do they stay in touch with you? >> all the time. they call. they facebook me or e-mail me. >> cheryl: people don't know what foster parent means, there is misconceptions out there? >> yes, there are parents that are not so cool but not all parents are like that. i hear stories from the kids. i just tell them give me a chance. i can show you that i'm not like that. person. it does touch your heart. >> cheryl: we heard alea's story. so what the most important advice for people considering to be a foster parent? >> love them. be truthful. don't lie to them because they can pick it up.

i don't want to cry. i love my babies. >> cheryl: i can tell. >> they need good homes. >> you are working with for another great program called families for children. how many kids do you have left? >> i just got another one so now it's five. >> cheryl: you have a house full. thank you for what you are doing. thank you for being here. thank you for watching us. this is all the time we have. i want to thank all of our guests to talk about this very important topic. information is available four on our website at abc7news.com. find us on facebook at abc7 community affairs and follow me on twitter. i'm cheryl jennings. thanks for joining us have a great weaning. [ taste buds ] donuts, donuts, donuts!

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