Foster parents honored by CAFFA
Gentry Osborne, in the red shirt, and his wife Kim, standing in front of him, were recently named foster parents of the year by the Coalition of Adoption and Foster Family Agencies at an event at Fantasy Island amusement park in Grand Island. Kim and Gentry are foster parents through New Directions Youth and Family Services. Celebrating with them are, from left, their children Gavin, Nate, Jenna and Raven, with Aubrey pictured far right. Second from right is Leslie Shellenbarger, supervisor at Global Village Therapeutic Foster Care. Her daughter Alexis is being held by Aubrey. Not pictured is Jose, the Osbornes’ oldest foster child.
Kimberly and Gentry Osborne of Randolph were honored with the title “Foster Parents of the Year” by the Coalition of Adoption and Foster Family Agencies, a group of adoption agencies in Western New York organized to support and enhance the delivery of quality adoption services to families and children. The Osbornes were honored Saturday, May 31 at an event at Fantasy Island amusement park in Grand Island.
Kim, a stay-at-home mom, and Gentry, a truck driver, have been foster parents for three years with Global Village Therapeutic Foster Care, a program of New Directions Youth and Family Services. During that time they’ve had four foster children living with them on a consistent basis, in addition to their two biological children. The Osbornes have also helped other foster parents in the area by providing respite care, taking in foster children from other families for a weekend or two to give the other parents some time off.
“I’ve known the Osbornes for four years and I’ve always been so impressed with the level of warmth and care that they give to those kids,” said Leslie Shellenbarger, supervisor at Global Village Therapeutic Foster Care.
Kim and Gentry are also quick to proclaim what a pleasure it is to take in and care for these children.
“When these children first come to us they are so broken and unwanted,” Kim said. “To be able to watch them grow and blossom into the amazing people we know they are capable of being is definitely one of the greatest joys in my life.”
Of the four foster children currently living with the Osbornes, the Osbornes are planning to permanently adopt the two youngest, a seven-year-old girl named Raven and an eight-year-old boy named Gavin. They are also planning an open adoption with 13-year-old Aubrey, which will allow him to live with the Osbornes and still see his biological mother a few times a month. Their oldest foster child, Jose, is 19. He is slated to graduate from high school in June and then plans to pursue a career in law enforcement.
“It hasn’t always been easy for us, but the good times always overshadow the bad, and we haven’t regretted it for a second,” Kim said.
For more information on becoming a foster parent, please contact Michelle Shaffer at 358-3636 ext. 232.
June 2008
