Just one person can make a world of difference in a child’s life. With a heart for others and dedication to doing the hard things, foster parents like Staycee D. have created lasting, positive changes for children and families experiencing foster care throughout Missouri.

This is not just Staycee’s story. It is the story of more than 52 children and teens whose lives have been changed because one woman has committed herself to bringing hope to those who need it most. Her hope has a domino effect. 

Becoming a Foster Parent for Her Son

Staycee was already a mom of three when she first felt the pull toward foster parenting. Her children became her greatest teachers in compassion, patience and advocacy. Their journeys shaped the way she understood kids who process life differently and inspired her to create spaces where every child could feel seen and accepted. “It was hard for people in my family to understand these things and to understand what ‘normal’ looks like,” Staycee shares. “My heart for foster care started with wanting my son to have a true sense of connection and belonging.”

As Staycee explored the world of foster care, she realized that opening her home wouldn’t just give children a safe place to land, it would also surround her family with a community of support. “I also came from a broken family, and this helped me create a safe place for these kids. I quickly learned how much joy fostering brought to me. And I honestly became really good at it!”

Fostering alongside her children wasn’t just possible — it became a gift. Their experiences gave her deeper insight into the struggles and strengths of the children placed in her home. Together, they cultivated a welcoming environment that turned empathy into action. With her family’s resilience as inspiration and her own upbringing as a guide, Staycee has been able to shine light into the darkness many children face when separated from their biological families.

The Impact of Support

Each of the 52+ children — she’s stopped counting at 52! — that Staycee has welcomed into her home has brought their own unique stories, and every single time she has had the pleasure of witnessing the impact of her unconditional support in their lives.

“I get excited by the impact,” says Staycee. “The impact is they now want to live. The impact is that they now see value in relationships. The impact is that now they know they can do the hard things.”

Staycee has been able to watch many of the youth who have at one point been in her care grow up to become successful, thriving adults. In some cases, children she has cared for have today become parents themselves, who call her frequently for advice or support!

A few years ago, Staycee was caring for a teen boy who experienced significant developmental delays. Additionally, he missed lots of school time due to circumstances in his biological family. With Staycee there to advocate for him, he was able to get the academic support he needed through an IEP (Individualized Education Plan). In just a year and a half, this young man moved up five grade levels under Staycee’s care! 

But Staycee insists this transformation wasn’t just because of her. “This level of impact is possible for anyone willing to show up and care,” she says. “You can have an impact on a child’s life like that just by being present. Letting them know that you care about them encourages them through the hard things.”

Seeing Hope Grow in Challenging Times

As a treatment-level foster parent, Staycee often cares for youth who have attempted suicide. She gives them a home and stability that helps keep them out of hospitals and residential programs. Her care brings hope in the most hopeless moments of their lives. “That’s how you build hope,” explains Staycee. “You love them where they are.”

One teen girl was placed in Staycee’s care, who had recently attempted suicide. The arrangement was temporary while case workers tried to find a bed for her in a residential treatment program or hospital. But after two days of bonding, Staycee knew there was something special about this teen. As she continued to care for this young woman in her home. The two formed a close bond that brought the teen out of her darkest moment. Now 17 years old, she has a job, her own car and is dual-enrolled in high school and college. Staycee reignited hope that carried her into a bright future.

Illuminating Hope by Celebrating the Small Wins

Earlier this year, Staycee created intentional awards to celebrate people in the foster care community. “I feel like we take on a thankless job, fight for these kids day in and day out and we forget to celebrate the small wins,” explains Staycee. This special moment of celebrating case workers, therapists, foster parents and everyone else who is involved in the hard work of foster care was Staycee’s way of reminding not just those already involved in foster care, but the greater community that this is about the big and small moments that change a child’s life.

How KVC Missouri Has Helped Create Stability and Hope

Staycee describes KVC Missouri as a true partner in supporting children in foster care. “I can call anybody on any level when I need help. And we can have real conversations without me feeling judged,” Staycee explains. 

Whether she’s feeling uncertain about a treatment plan or needs help finding resources, she knows KVC Missouri is ready and able to help because “at the end of the day, it’s about the child.” By encouraging foster parents to take trainings specifically related to the needs and behaviors of children placed in their care, KVC Missouri helps equip foster parents to handle the difficult situations and emotions that inevitably arise.

“Even though the ultimate focus is on the child,” Staycee says, “I also feel incredibly cared for and supported by KVC Missouri. They make sure the foster parents are taken care of and have everything they need to be what the child needs, including being compassionate and understanding.”

The Power of Community Support

Supporting foster parents truly does take a village! The community can wrap around and uplift both foster parents and the children in their care! This is important on an individual level — from helping out foster parents with transportation or watching children so they can run errands or have a break. And on a greater community level, businesses can find ways to get involved. Honey Bee’s Biscuits & Good Eats in Kirkwood recently partnered with KVC Missouri to raise money to help children in foster care with back-to-school needs like new clothes.

While this event raised money for children in care, it also served as an opportunity to raise awareness. Staycee believes this awareness is equally important because it shows the community who children in foster care really are. “Children in foster care are not victims; they’re victors. We don’t have to feel sorry for them. We can empower them to get through the challenges that they’re facing and teach them how to use their village.”

It Only Takes a Moment to Change a Child’s Life

Hope has a domino effect. It doesn’t stop at a single person or relationship. But it goes on to impact their future and every person they touch. “As long as I am in a mindset that my job is to have a domino effect of hope, I know that’s what these children are going to create in other areas they walk without me.”

Making an impact can take just a single moment. Foster parents touch the lives of children for years, months or sometimes just a day or two through respite care. But each of these touchpoints is another domino continuing the ripple effect that changes a child’s life for the better.

Learn more about how you can become a foster parent or respite care provider with KVC Missouri. You can continue the domino effect for children who just need someone to give them a chance.