HASTINGS, Mich. — Two boys in Barry County had their dreams come true Tuesday as they finally have a family to call their own.
There are thousands more in Michigan who may spend the holidays without one. That is why adoption services in the state are pleading for people to open their hearts and homes before time runs out.
The Harp family welcomed Averyion, 14, and Cameron, 12, into their family Tuesday in a Barry County courtroom.
"Their hearts are good. They want a family. They bring so much to our lives," said Alyssa Harp. "They're such good siblings. We're just really excited to be able to help them become, like, help them have a safe place for them to be able to become amazing adults."
Over the last four years, Jason and Alyssa Harp have cared for 23 kids through foster care.
With these two older boys, they now have five adopted children and one guardianship.
For as much as they've done, Jason admits it isn't the life he always envisioned, but fostering their first child changed his outlook.
"Even from the first placement that we had come into our home, it was like how could I have not done this?" Jason remarked. "Yeah, there's struggles, but, but the lesson there is to foster whether it be short term or long term."
The Harps utilized Samaritas and Legacy Adoption Services, two organizations using this moment and National Adoption Month as a call for others to consider opening their family to foster care or adoption; more specifically for older children like Averyion and Cameron.
"They're older boys being adopted by a family that specifically sought out adopting teens as teens are generally not adopted as fast as younger children," explained Adoption Specialist with Legacy Adoption Services, Bekki Krul.
There are more than 2,500 children in Michigan's foster care system without a forever family. For many of these children, the clock is ticking as they approach aging out of the foster care system, facing an uncertain world with limited access to systems of support.
Krul added, "You don't have to be rich or married or you don't even have to have a house as long as you have a safe place and you have love in your heart for kids. You're welcome here."
As the Harps have found, that love melts away any worry or stress of starting this process, even once they have a house full of kids.
If you'd like to learn more about the foster care or adoption process, click here.
