By Heidi Ramirez
When Marc and Velma first met Eloise, they never expected their connection to lead to adoption. The couple has a history of volunteering and giving back to their community, especially when it comes to kids. Velma’s volunteer work in Central and South America strengthened their desire to give back, leading them to Kidsave in 2021. They began hosting soon after joining the program as it was the perfect opportunity for them to be involved in helping kids find their forever families.
Having hosted twice before, Marc and Velma found themselves unable to host during the winter holidays of 2022. However, a close friend was hosting then 14-year-old Eloise, and they offered to help out and keep Eloise company while their friend was at work. Marc and Velma spent several days with Eloise, who was shy at first but soon showed them her kind, considerate nature.
“There was a special connection with Eloise,” said Marc. “She’s a great kid.”
When the hosting period ended, Marc and Velma let the program coordinator know that if Eloise needed a family, they would be happy to step in. Just a few weeks later, they were beginning the adoption process.
The process took about 15 months, and when Eloise finally arrived at her new home in Georgia there were a few challenges they faced. Eloise was hesitant to open up and fully embrace her new family, but Marc and Velma created a safe space for her to build her trust at her own pace.
“It took some getting used to,” explained Marc. “We were doting on her and trying to get her to participate in our lives and trying to participate in her life. When what I think happens is as kids they’re trained and encouraged not to be needy and not really to participate or become very attached in their foster homes. They end up not bonding or integrating with the foster families. But slowly, she opened up more and more.”
Over the course of that first summer, Eloise had the chance to bond with her parents while preparing for the upcoming school year. With the support of tutors, she was able to improve her English and math skills. The summer was also the perfect time to explore her interests, and she joined the high school cross-country team. With the support of her family, great teachers at her high school, tutoring and a lot of hard work, Eloise has been doing very well in school and plans to run cross-country again this Summer and in the upcoming Fall semester.
Now with Eloise settling into her new life, Marc and Velma are excited about the possibility of hosting again in the future. Marc and Velma enjoy the idea of incorporating Eloise into the hosting process to share her experience with the host child and help them feel comfortable. They hope to provide more children with meaningful connections and life-changing opportunities through Kidsave’s programs.
Each year, the Summer Miracles program helps kids like Eloise find their forever families. Book a call with our team to learn how you can become a host or adoptive family this summer. Don’t wait – the application deadline for Summer 2025 is April 15!
