Four years ago the Ladd family grew by two little girls and each year their hearts grow a little bigger as they give back to the agency that made their adoption possible.
The girls were just toddlers when they spent time in the foster care system. They were adopted by the Ladds in December of 2016. Since that time the family has made a commitment to be open and honest about their story and teach their girls the importance of giving back.
“We are so glad we found them and they found us but there’s still a big need to help other kids find homes and be taken care of while their family goes through a hard time,” Erica said. “I wanted to put that to action for them. I wanted them to see where that work was being done. I wanted them to know the whole story.”
In previous years the family donated money for the holidays and the girls came with them to deliver the check. Now older and more aware, the girls became more involved in the giving. They worked with a set budget and checked the Child Crisis Arizona Amazon wish list for their favorite toys and games that they could select for the kids in the shelter. This past December they came with their parents to drop the gifts off.
Not only does this family tradition help them to remember their own story, Erica hopes it will inspire others to consider foster care and adoption for growing their family or giving back to their community.
“They are amazing kids,” she said. “There are all kinds of ways you can help, even if you can’t take a foster placement there are ways to give and options to give at your comfort level.”
To learn more about foster care and adoption visit https://childcrisisaz.org/what-we-do/adoption-foster-care/.
