My Story
Andrée Harris is a mother of 8 and 4 of her children were adopted through the foster care system. Her quest to open her heart home and give a child hope came by way of caring for children and a chance meeting two runaway girls. Her passion and drive for children has always been the motivation behind her movement. She takes special interests in children with special needs and older adoptions, understanding that most people want infants. Yet she encourages families to open their hearts and homes to whatever children they can...
Posted: Nov. 152011
Andrée Harris Story of Adoption and Foster Care
Foster care was her first passion and from 1997 to present date she's had over 20 children in her care. Although she knew and acknowledged that the job of a foster parent is to provide temporary, loving and supportive environment for the child/dren, she will also readily admit that the process of letting go hurts and can be difficult.
Her foster care and adoptive experiences are rather unique because she maintains familial ties with the birth families as well as children who have aged out of the system or have gone on to other foster care placements. She is known as "mom" to many. Her smile and warm heart have been known to win over the most difficult families and situations. Additionally her own past experience with drug and alcohol abuse has given her a compassion for the families that she encounters. She works hard with parents and even harder with foster and pre-adoptive parents. Her non-judgmental attitude softens a lot of the blows given by society. She believes that it's a blessing to know what its like on both sides of the coin. Many parents who find it difficult to care for their children call on her first. She applauds the honest parent who readily admits that they cant do it. She encourages families to take advantage of preservation services and when at the end of the road; take the giant step and ask for HELP.
As an adoptive parent, she's faced many obstacles; however, she's made many connections with various adoptive parents and agencies. She gathers information from the sources and offer it to others.
Andrée currently assists agencies with recruitment efforts. Her focus is to encourages families to consider foster care and adoption. She also aids the parents with compliance to be reunified with their children.
She is responsible for the Respite Care Network which allows parents of children with special needs an opportunity to take a few hours of "me time." This network is a pool of parents who come to the monthly meet and greet and fill out paper work and provide matching. Parents with children with certain needs are matched with families with similar needs.
Her book, "A heart, a home and a home", released in November 2011, in honor of National Adoption month, depicts her journey as a foster/adoptive parent.
Some of Andree's children
