Youth Villages Foster Parent Award ceremony

2025 Foster Parent Awards

Because of You, Lives Change!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the livestream Thursday, May 8, and a big congratulations to this year’s award recipients! We are lucky to have amazing families who have opened their hearts and homes to hundreds of children across Tennessee. For that, you are all winners to us!

Missed the livestream on Thursday, May 8?

If you were unable to watch the awards live, we will stream the awards again Tuesday, May 13 at 6 p.m. CST.

For Middle Tennessee foster parents who will be joining us in person on Tuesday, we look forward to seeing you at The Franklin Theatre!

If you have any questions or have trouble accessing the awards, please email Amy Wilbert.

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Stories of Hope

Helping children and families live successfully

Sofia’s story: Parenting a parent, breaking the cycle

At 16, Sofia entered foster care as a new mother with nowhere else to go. Her own home hadn’t been a safe or supportive environment, kicking her out when she got pregnant. With no guardian to return to after giving birth, she found herself in foster care, raising a baby in an unfamiliar home.

Adoption finalizations at the Tennessee Governor’s Mansion

Twelve children officially joined their forever families in an adoption event hosted by Governor Bill Lee and First Lady Maria at the Governor’s Mansion this May.

Knoxville Couple recognized as rookie foster parents of the year

Knoxville couple is being recognized for the way they’ve stepped up, just months after entering the world of foster care.

Woman aging out of foster care finds success

Alina Brooks is one of nearly 60 foster children who’ve lived with the Flowers family in East Knoxville.

‘We enjoy it; it’s awesome’ – East Knoxville couple opens home to dozens of foster kids

Across Tennessee, families are stepping up to provide safe, loving homes for children in need.In East Knoxville, Benjamin and Shamiyah Flowers have turned fostering into a way of life.

She has fostered more than 100 teens and gotten them employment

HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — You’ve probably heard, there’s a continuing problem with finding homes to place teens in the foster care system. Hearing that problem, one woman has taken on the matter in a truly amazing way.

Foster families facing unique challenges helped by annual initiative to make holiday season special

Youth Villages wrapped up their annual Holiday Heroes campaign. In 2024 they set a new record, making sure nearly 3,000 foster kids had gifts to open on Christmas morning.

Youth Villages looking for more foster families to help with holiday seasons

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Youth Villages encourages families to consider becoming a foster home for children during holiday seasons.

Solutions to keeping Oregon foster children in stable homes

With a recent federal class action lawsuit settled over the safety of children in Oregon’s foster care system, one of the issues addressed is the quality and number of foster care placements a child experiences.

He’s fostered dozens of teen boys, leading them toward success and stability

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A man tells us his story puts him in a unique position to help others in the most formative years of their lives. The number of people he’s helped is nothing short of staggering.

Q&A with Mr. Morton: Single Foster Parent of 10 Years

Get to know Middle Tennessee foster parent of the year, Joseph Morton. He is a single father who has been a foster parent with Youth Villages for 10 years.

Fostering with pride: Agency trains LGBTQ adults to foster Tennessee children

Foster parents, Mikey and Travis VanZant of Clarksville, TN were featured on Nashville Channel 4’s Friday night news, which was re-aired several times over the weekend and into today.

How foster families build relationships that nurture a youth’s well-being, culture and identity

No matter the circumstances, every child deserves a chance to grow up in a loving and stable home. In cases where it is not safe for a child to remain with their family, they are placed with temporary caregivers for a few weeks, months or sometimes longer while their...

Wirtala family finds purpose through foster care

Youth Villages’ mission is to help children and their families live successfully, and a big part of achieving that goal is keeping the family together. Sometimes, though, families are unable to remain together — either for a while or longer — due to circumstances in the home.

Memphis Parent – May is National Foster Care Month

When children enter the foster care system, the priority is to find a path to permanency – whether through adoption or reunification with their biological family. Often, children are placed in foster care for a short time while the best next steps are determined.

Daytime Tri-Cities – May is National Foster Care Month

Foster Parent Amber McKee and Hayley Mosteller with Youth Villages, discuss the need for more Foster Care in our region.

Fourth Grader Sets and Achieves Goals Through Youth Villages’ Foster Care Program

To protect the privacy of children in the foster care system, the names and identifying details have been changed. In 2022, 8-year-old Tommy entered the foster care program at Youth Villages with concerns of needing life-long assistance due to developmental delays....

Family exemplifies spirit of Thanksgiving, fostering more than 30 children over 6 years

Beyond the good food, for many of us the Thanksgiving celebration is also about family. One Murfreesboro couple deeply understands that children need a feeling of belonging at all times.

‘It’s a calling’: Nashville couple fosters children with complex medical issues

As Thanksgiving nears, a Nashville couple is giving thanks that their family looks different than they ever expected.

Bingham’s family expands through foster care, adoption

It’s National Adoption Month, and Youth Villages has more than 100 children that need a forever home in Tennessee. There is a need for more families to open their hearts and homes to adopting children so they can receive care and support.