In the front room of Chad and Kristine Owen’s house sits a beautiful, large tree, covered in handprints and footprints, big and small. Each hand represents the 19 kids the Owen’s had fostered over seven blessed years, including four of their adopted children. Throughout the seven years, there were many ups and downs, but Kristine believed that there was more joy than trials. 

When Kristine held her first foster baby in her arms, she instantly fell in love. The joy that came to her from loving a child, even if it wasn’t her own, was immeasurable. She made it a new goal to become the backbone of love to her foster children when their parents could not. And she loved seeing a child go back to a parent who had come full circle. She provided everything she could for her foster children, which was easy to do with such a strong support system.

“For a lady that has not been able to have a baby of her own, it’s brought me more blessings than I can ever, ever tell you,” she said.

At the beginning of her foster parent days, Kristine took in a four-day- old baby from the hospital. When she got to the hospital, the baby came with nothing but the clothes from the hospital. Kristine had no diapers, no car seat, nothing. She called a dear friend, Sammy Laney, who extended a loving hand.

Another time, Kristine came into the DEB Project with a child who had just come from a drug home. Their clothes were itching their skin and covered with a drug like odor. As quick as she could, Kristine turned to the DEB Project, knowing the clothes came from a good place. The DEB Project store is Kristine’s safe haven, as it is for many in the foster care community.

“Granted, Department of Human Service does provide a few things,” Kristine said. “What people don’t understand is these babies need more than a few things.”

 The DEB Project was so eager to help Kristine that Sammy showed up at the hospital with all the necessary items the baby needed. She was there for Kristine when others were not. Before Kristine could walk out the hospital doors, Sammy was there. She was always there, even after Kristine’s foster days were over. She’s Kristine’s cheerleader. She’s everybody’s cheerleader.

Sammy works all day and most nights without pay to make the DEB Project a success, which is something that not a lot of people would consider doing. Sammy enjoys doing it, as long as it helps all the children feel loved.