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Military family feels call to foster

JBLM nurse, wife realizing dream

The Krause Family: Vincent, Virginia, Caden, Katelyn and Keeven. Photo credit: Krystal Whitley, Krystal Clear Photography

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Air Force veteran and military spouse Virginia "Ginny" Krause keeps her hands full as a foster parent while raising three children. Since arriving at Joint Base Lewis-McChord three years ago, the Krauses have fostered two long-term children and one emergency placement and provided respite care for other foster parents.

"My wife and I, (emphasis my wife) are foster parents," said Capt. Vince Krause, an ICU nurse at Madigan Army Medical Center. "The first placement took place while I was deployed, and Ginny was credited with taking a 2-year-old developmentally delayed little boy and putting him on track.  He has since been adopted into a loving family. We currently have a 4-year-old little girl, who Ginny is caring for since I am TDY.  Did I mention we have two sons and an adopted daughter Ginny homeschools?

"Ginny is also a part-time nurse," he added. "She is hesitant to talk about herself, but she has developed a passion for fostering and the need for parents in the area."

The Krauses felt a call to fostering long before they got married.  

"We had long talks about all the unfortunate children in this country, and it quickly became our dream that one day we would foster/adopt to help make a difference, even if it was in one child's life," said Ginny. "Vince was an Army Reservist going back to school full time for his nursing degree, and I was an active-duty ICU nurse who had just returned home from deployment and three months pregnant when we got our first call. It was November 11, 2008, Veterans Day. The agency asked us if we would be available to pick up a 2-month-old preemie from the hospital. What began as a short-term placement turned into an opportunity to adopt seventeen months later."

It can be a challenge to serve as a foster parent while in the military.  Ginny feels good communication is the key to success.

"We prepare ahead of time for PCS by informing our state/agency of our time on station, so they know what children may best fit our military circumstance. We have managed deployments, TDYs and our own family emergencies as foster parents. We have found amazing strength in local foster parent support groups, church, and the CYS services," she said.

Fostering Together is an organization dedicated to finding and supporting foster families in western Washington.

"The Krause family has been an amazing resource for foster children in our community," said Erica Thompson, Fostering Together recruiter/liaison for Pierce County. "They not only support military and civilian children placed in the foster care system, but have helped to mentor and retain the caregivers we so desperately need for our community's children."

"As of December 5, 2016, there have been (more than) one thousand children in out-of-home care in Pierce County," said Ginny. "Currently, there are approximately 680 homes in Pierce County, and that is agency and state homes combined. Our family's dream has now expanded to encourage and inspire other military families to open their doors and hearts to the children in their communities."

The Krauses share some helpful tips for those thinking of becoming foster parents:

  • Start researching the state requirements as early as you can. (It can take six months to be licensed)

Consider whether to use an agency or the state; no fees are involved either way, and there are benefits to both.  It is usually easier for state social workers to access a military base.

  • Keep a list of addresses and contacts of people that knew you for background checks
  • Maintain training documents with other important documents, since some trainings are reciprocal

"We also want people to know while fostering may not always be an option, there are so many ways to support the children entering care in your county. Single or married couples can go through training to become respite providers, an "office mom or dad," or a state-appointed CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate)," Ginny said.

The volunteer position and requirements are explained at embraceeasternwashington.org/get-involved.

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