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There are more than 400,000 children in foster care on any given day in the United States. In Allegheny County alone, there are approximately 1,300 children and teens placed out-of-home at any one time. While it may seem like an impossible problem to tackle, the truth is, one willing heart can help provide each child in need with love, safety, and a home. As the largest non-kinship Foster Care program in Allegheny County, Auberle works to connect children and youth with families with one thing in common – a loving heart.

At Auberle, we understand the love, time, and commitment it takes to care for a child. Our foster parents are champions who make sacrifices to provide hope and security for children and youth in need, and we believe there is no one foster family alike. We embrace the uniqueness of all families as we embrace the differences of all the children and youth we serve.

For former Auberle foster parent, Bekah, caring for children came naturally as she has been a teacher for many years. At the age of 45, Bekah had hoped to have children of her own, but believed she could still open her heart to care for children in need of a home. After learning about the foster program at Auberle through former coworkers, Bekah was eager to begin her journey as a foster parent herself and became certified in February of 2019.

At the beginning of March, Bekah was excited to welcome a 16-month-old baby boy to her home, and cared for him for three months until he was reunited with his father.

Shortly after, Bekah received a call to assist with providing temporary respite care to twins being cared for by a friend. Excited to help, Bekah opened her home again and began caring for the pair. Bekah was dedicated to ensuring the children maintained a relationship with their birth family and continued to participate in Auberle foster parent support groups, communicated regularly with their grandparents, and ensured they attended scheduled visits with their birth mother.

As their story continues, Bekah’s love for the twins has carried them to permanency. She is honored to play such an important role in their lives as she feels they have also changed her life forever expressing, “they are the most amazing babies.”