John and Carolyn Jordan of Huntsville had more than fulfilled their parenting duty. After raising four children of their own, they helped raise three relatives' children and became adoptive parents to their nephew. But the Jordans are far from retiring as parents. A few months ago, they became foster parents to two brothers receiving help through Youth Villages.

"My wife and I have been blessed growing up in two-parent homes, and we wanted to give back to the community," says John Jordan, police chief at Calhoun Community College in Huntsville and a Youth Villages foster parent. "We wanted to be able to pass on our blessings to children who are not as fortunate as we have been."

For years before they became foster parents, the Jordans' home was filled with children. As the children grew up and left home, the Jordans' house grew quiet and empty with only their adoptive 13-year-old son at home.

"One day, we saw the Youth Villages ad in the paper, and we just decided to call," John Jordan says. "We started going to foster parenting classes, and the Youth Villages staff was very professional and very supportive."

After they were certified, the Jordans opened their home to two foster brothers ages 10 and 14. Youth Villages informed the Jordans about the brothers' family history, the reason for removal from their home and the issues the children need help dealing with. Both brothers receive counseling, but the older one also suffers from an anxiety disorder and requires some special attention, especially with monitoring his medication.

"When they came into our home, there were adjustments to be made on both sides," John Jordan says. "We went through the honeymoon period, then everything started to settle. We are adjusting well to each other. They're just like our own children now. They started calling me 'dad' and my wife 'C.C.' on their own."

The Jordans say they knew what to expect when they became treatment foster parents. Youth Villages foster parenting classes helped them understand the trauma of abuse and neglect or abandonment and the feelings of loss many foster children struggle with. The Jordans also learned the best ways to help these children deal with past trauma and how to address any emotional or behavioral problems.

"Anyone who has considered becoming a foster parent should check out Youth Villages," John Jordan says. "The organization is fairly new to the area, but we really like their infrastructure. They go out of their way to make sure foster parents and children are a match and are happy. They send counselors out to our home to speak to us and the children just to see how things are going and whether any adjustments need to be made. I like the professionalism they have shown us."

You can be a hero by being a parent to a child in foster care. Foster children need love, guidance and safe homes as they receive professional help to overcome their often traumatic family histories.

As a Youth Villages foster parent, you can make a difference in the lives of our state's most vulnerable citizens. Consider becoming a foster parent today. Youth Villages foster parents receive free training, 24-hour support and a generous tax-free reimbursement. The rewards are endless.

Call Lesley Shelton for more information on how to become a Youth Villages foster parent: (256) 774-8383.