11/25/2015
ARTICLE IN MONTICELLO NEWS REGARDING OUTREACH IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY... If you are looking for a direct way to GIVE, show GENEROSITY and foster HEALING I encourage you to reach out to the DeGarmo family and their mission. I had the privilege of coaching their daughter this season and seen the positive influence they have on others.
Foster Home for Boys Could Become a Reality
Kathy Mudd•Thu, Nov 19, 2015
Abused. Beaten. Neglected. Starved. Abandoned. Children living in fear. Children in need. Children placed into foster care.
At any given day, there are over 500,000 children placed in foster care in the United States. There are 2,000 children in neighboring Newton County in foster care, and only 47 foster families.
John DeGarmo, and his wife, Kelly, have been foster parents for the past 13 years to over 50 children. There have been times when they had up to 11 children in their home at one time.
“The past few years, we have both felt called to go even further, and help even more children in need. There are hundreds of thousands of children in foster care, and not enough homes, not enough families willing to help,” said Dr. DeGarmo.
“For some time now, we have had an idea for a group home for boys in foster care. With the help of local community leaders we developed a plan to make our vision a reality. We met with local and state Foster Care and Department of Family and Children officials to gain their support.”
This summer the DeGarmo’s and supporters created a Board of Directors and incorporated Never Too Late, Inc. in Georgia.
As their plan formed, a place for the group home opened up. The facility formerly known as Edgewood on Post Road, across from Jasper County Middle School, would be ideal, says Dr. DeGarmo.
The home would serve up to 16 boys, ages nine to 18. It would be staffed either by personnel working in shifts or ideally by a host family. That family would likely not have any children of their own at home.
“To our delight, we found that this home is absolutely perfect for what we have in mind. We applied for non-profit status from the IRS, and just last month, Never Too Late, Inc. received our 501c3 designation.
And, they are now trying to raise funds to purchase the building.
“Our immediate need is raising funds to purchase the home we found so we can turn it into the group home for boys. We are seeking private donation to purchase and renovate the home. Our goal is to raise $300,000 in the next 90 days. This will allow us to purchase the home so we can make it ready for boys by next summer,” he said.
“We are also applying for funding from public and private grants, but those will not be available until after the group home is open,” said Dr. DeGarmo.
The home would provide plenty of therapy for these foster youth. It would provide an environment that promotes healing, hope, family, stability, and love. The goal is to have a 100 percent graduation rate of the boys in the home. The home would prepare the youth for a successful for adulthood.
The statistics of foster children who end up homeless or in prison are staggering. The DeGarmos want to make a change.
The home will offer counseling and behavior interventions; a homelike atmosphere with nutritious meals, development of individual educational plans, and attention to clothing and personal hygiene.
“We need your help and support. Please consider a tax deductible donation to Never Too Late, Inc. Help us make our dream for foster care boys a reality.
“Won’t you help us create a home where boys in need can find a place to heal hearts, heal minds, heal bodies, and heal lives? Everyone deserves a home where they can begin to heal.”
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