BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Imagine not only being removed from your home but from your siblings as well. It is a sad situation that far too many Idaho children find themselves in when they are placed in foster care. Kate Wilson, founder of local non-profit 'Foster + Heart' is determined to help keep families under the same roof.
"My heart always goes out to them and just breaks for them, for what they're going through," said Wilson. "I just want to support them and love them."
Wilson says it is a challenge to find foster homes able to accommodate just two siblings, so larger families are almost always separated. It is an unfortunate reality for Idaho children, but Wilson is doing all she can to help. She even became a foster parent to five siblings who were separated for nine months. Wilson says the trauma she watched her children go through is something she would like to ensure others do not have to face.
"They had to say goodbye to their siblings all the time and my heart is that I don't see another sibling group go through that," said Wilson. "That is our vision and our mission, to have homes and safe sanctuaries for children to go to who are facing the hardest situations of their life."
Mimi's House, named after Wilson's first foster child, is designed to make siblings feel as comfortable as possible while they either look for a foster family or get ready to go back to their own homes. The house opened in December, and their new location, Bubba's house, is just months away from opening.
"We get in Sept. 1 and hope to open it by Oct. 1," said Wilson. "We just wanted to reach out to region three, which is the Nampa Caldwell area, to meet the needs out there."
Wilson says the goal is to expand throughout Idaho, but she cannot do it alone. Mimi and Bubba's houses have been provided at a low cost by Idahoans who want to help.
"This little dream I had is coming to fruition even larger and even quicker than I envisioned it," said Wilson. "I'm just blown away by the love and support and every person who comes out and does any work in the house, whether it's building furniture or prepping meals for kids or reading stories to kids, I'm just blown away that people have such a huge heart and want to be involved in what we're doing."
If you want to help or learn ways to volunteer, donate or foster, click HERE.
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