Milwaukee Mother Adopts 6 Boys After Years Of Fostering

Jan 14, 2020 by apost team

Growing up in foster care can be a traumatic experience that often leaves children feeling insecure and unloved. Jessica Benzakein is one woman who knows exactly how difficult it can be after she was left in foster care for six years when her mother lost custody. But, rather than becoming bitter, Jessica decided to use her experience to help others and adopt more children of her own.

Jessica recently adopted six boys from foster care, making her now the mother of eight.

It’s been over thirty years since Jessica was in foster care herself; however, she can still recall all the details about the experience. She remembers sitting down with a caseworker when she was just 12 years old and her mother had lost custody. Jessica says that the caseworker explained that she was likely too old be adopted and plainly stated “If adoption is your plan A, you are too old”, reports Today.

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While the words were harsh, Jessica explained that it wasn’t meant to be mean – the caseworker was just trying to prepare her for the future.

Sure enough, Jessica did not get a new family. Instead, she was left to stay in foster care until she enrolled in community college. Even as a student in college, Jessica continued to feel the pain of being alone in the world.

Now 46 years old, Jessica is determined that she will do her part to ensure that at least some children are saved the pain of growing up in the system. She took in six brothers that range in ages from 4 to 17 years old.

Jessica already had two sons of her own and explains that the boys all became close instantly.

While Jessica is making a huge difference in the lives of these children, she explains that they are helping her as well. She credits her children with keeping her “grounded”. Having her kids has helped her to realize her purpose and that she truly does need a family, Today continues.

Opening one’s home to become foster or adoptive parents is an amazing way to make a difference in the life of a child. According to the Adoption Network, there are 428,000 children that are currently in foster care, and a large number of them are set to age out of foster care without a family to call their own.

Have you thought about fostering or adopting? Invite your friends to read this story and raise awareness for foster kids.