News 12 is shedding a light on the professionals who help children find permanent homes for National Foster Care Month. 

The Brooklyn-based organization Rising Ground provides aid to over 25,000 children, adults and families throughout New York City. 

Its foster care program is designed to create a positive relationship between parents and foster parents and to ultimately have the child return to their family. 

Alexandria Anderson, a foster parent who joined the program, says she wanted to give back by helping kids in need.

“Rising Ground was at the top of the list…I'm really amazed at how their values align with my values with wanting to see family and children thrive,” Anderson says. “With all the resources and support that Rising Ground has given me, I can say this was the best decision I've made thus far." 

Anderson joined Rising Ground when she was 21 years old. Since then, she's had over 13 different children in her care. 

Anderson is a part of the co-parenting program that was piloted by the organization two years ago. Once the pandemic hit, they were forced to find other effective ways to keep parents updated. 

“We utilized Facetime, and video chats, and phone calls and all of these wonderful things to keep parents involved in the day-to-day operations of their child while they were residing outside of the home. And it's really become something so special to us because nowhere else in the city is this really happening,” says Michele Favale, a co-parenting coordinator.

The co-parenting coordinator also says that it's amazing to see the relationships that are built between the parents and foster parents and that the bonds last even after the child is no longer in foster care. 

For anyone thinking about becoming foster care parents, Anderson says to take the leap of faith. 

"Do it, become a foster parent. There's a great need for foster parents. These kids do need safe homes and loving people to be around them, and a child can never have too many people to love them,” she says. 

The co-parenting coordinator at Rising Ground says that if anyone is looking to become a foster parent, they can visit their website.