Charles and Ginger Blue of Nashville have been named the Area 3 Foster Family of the Year by the Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Children and Family Services.
The Blues were selected for their efforts to support children in foster care and their families.
“Children who come into foster care need structure, compassion, kindness and grace, and we are grateful for the examples set by the Blues and each of the families we recognized,” said DCFS Director Mischa Martin. “I am so thankful for families that step up to serve and love our children. We could not provide them safety and stability without our amazing foster parents.”
Martin said the Blues were selected as area winners because they have embraced their role as a “reunification partner” and work closely with the biological families of the children in their care.
“They have been foster parents for over seven years. Over that time, they have cared for an incredible 75 foster children,” said DCFS Foster Care Manager Tiffany Wright. “Both Charles’ and Ginger’s families took in other children to live with them as they were growing up, which allowed them to see the positive impact it had on those children and on themselves, and now their 17-year-old daughter is living that mission herself and is as much a foster parent to the children in the Blue home as Charles and Ginger.”
DCFS is responsible for the safety of children and youth in the state and has 5,200 children in foster care, most of whom are placed in home settings with foster families. The state is divided into 10 service areas, and nominations for outstanding foster families were submitted from each area by family service workers, school personnel and child advocates.
One winner from each area and an overall winner were chosen by DHS/DCFS staff based on years of services to the division, willingness to take “hard to place” children, child advocacy, and reunification efforts with biological families. The luncheon was held in May as part of National Foster Care Month.
The Blue family noted that they are “honored and humbled” by the award and just enjoy loving their children and helping their families become stronger and more stable.