Hamilton County trying to place 5 foster siblings into same permanent home
There are more than 400 kids waiting to be adopted in Hamilton County. All of them are looking for their forever homes.
In a rare effort, Hamilton County Job and Family Services is trying to place five siblings together in one home.
These five siblings range in ages from 9 to 16 and they are about as kind as can be. They've been through more than any children should but they're hoping it leads them to finding their forever home.
Sixteen-year-old Brayden, 14-year-old Chevy, 10-year-old Kaleb and 9-year-old twins Vida and Zoey have spent the last few years in foster care under the care of Mary Freeman.
“I just feel like God's placed kids with me for certain reasons at different times,” Freeman said.
Freeman has been a foster parent for 23 years. When she and her husband began fostering, they made it their mission to take in siblings to keep them from being split up amongst other homes.
“You just try to give them what they need when they're there,” Freeman said.
The siblings are now ready to be adopted. But after Freeman’s husband died, it made it more difficult to take care of the kids.
“It’s not that I don't want to, I just can't,” Freeman said. “I have 13 grandkids and I don't have anyone, if something happens to me, who is going to take them.”
Freeman hopes the siblings can find a forever home together.
“They're kids, and they have their flaws, but every child does that,” Freeman said. “They are good kids.”
Ten-year-old Kaleb says the most important thing his next home will have is food. His sister, Vida, hopes her next home has what every 9-year-old wants.
“A playground,” Vida said.
But mostly, she hopes for space to have fun with her siblings even though they can get on Vida’s nerves sometimes.
“Having brothers are annoying,” Vida said with a laugh. “Having a sister is annoying too.”
“I feel very blessed to have them come to me, and I know whoever gets them for the rest of their life will be just as blessed as I feel,” Freeman said.
To learn more about the kids, click here.