When seven-year-old Gabby came back into foster care, she was facing another major change in a life that had already included more than one.
Gabby first entered foster care at age five and eventually lived with her grandmother before returning to her father’s care. When concerns about substance use brought her back into care two years later, her father began working toward reunification. In the meantime, Gabby needed a safe place to stay and people who could help her feel connected, supported and known.
That is when 30 Days to Family® Specialist Teara Westfall began looking beyond the names already familiar to Gabby.
Gabby had not seen members of her maternal family in years. Through intensive family finding, Teara was able to reconnect her with her maternal relatives, and within just two weeks, Gabby moved in with a maternal aunt she had not seen since she was two or three years old.
But the search did not stop there.
Teara also worked to identify and contact both of Gabby’s grandfathers. On her paternal side, that meant uncovering a family connection that had been missing for generations. Gabby’s father had never met his own father, but through an old child support record, Teara was able to locate him.
That one phone call opened the door to even more family.
Gabby’s paternal grandfather had two other children; an aunt and uncle Gabby had never met. They were thrilled to learn about her and eager to build a relationship. They had also been out of contact with Gabby’s father for nearly 20 years, creating an opportunity for connections to begin forming across the family.
Today, Gabby knows both of her grandfathers as well as a paternal aunt and uncle who were once complete strangers to her.
And in her aunt’s home, she is settling in beautifully.
Described as bubbly, fashionable and full of personality, Gabby is already making the space her own. Her aunt’s family has raised boys, so preparing a room for a little girl has been a new experience. They are even working together to repaint and decorate it to reflect Gabby’s style.
Teara also helped arrange after-school care and transportation around her aunt’s work schedule, making sure practical challenges did not stand in the way of keeping Gabby connected to family.
For children impacted by foster care, family finding is about much more than identifying a place to live. It is about helping children understand where they come from, discover people who share their history and build relationships that can remain part of their lives for years to come.
Through 30 Days to Family®, Gabby did not simply reconnect with one relative. She gained grandparents, an aunt, an uncle and a wider circle of family she never knew existed.
Those connections give her something every child deserves: the opportunity to know her story, know her family and know she belongs.