The theme of my upcoming Middle Grade novel is “Everyone can make a difference, even a kid like me”. My desire is for kids to know that it doesn’t take a million dollars to make a difference. It takes compassion and a willingness to help. I wanted to feature an organization in my own community who is making a difference every day in the lives of children. And because I have five adopted neices and nephews that I adore, I was excited about this interview!
Ashley Anderson is the Founder and Development Director of Supporting Adoption and Foster Families Together (SAFFT). SAFFT opened its doors in 2009 in Forsyth County, Georgia and I know you are going to love her story as much as I do!
Ashley, thank you for taking the time to share with our readers more about SAFFT! What struck me about your story is that you saw an unfulfilled need in your community and set out to make a difference. Tell our readers about the need and what did you do to meet that need.
Early in my career, I worked for a counseling agency taking foster kids to supervised visits. What I saw broke my heart. I felt like I wasn’t making a difference at all in my job. I told my husband, Brian, that I thought we should become foster parents and we actually got into an argument over the idea! He was busy building his career and had no interest at the time. Eventually, however, Brian agreed to learn more and pretty soon, we became foster parents. Shortly after our second child was placed with us, we both wanted to quit. No matter how much we tried to help, we felt like the system was failing the very children it was supposed to protect. Being a foster parent is extremely challenging and no one told me that it would be so isolating. We felt all alone. That’s when I suggested to Brian that we form some sort of caregiver support network for foster and adoptive families. That’s was our original intent.
Later, SAFFT evolved into the amazing organization that it is today. Tell us about how this came about.
A month later, we were fostering sisters from an abusive home. After a devastating visit with their birth parents, it became clear to me that I wanted to create a supervised visitation center to keep kids safe and protected. This became my passion. Through the help of community and government partners, we convinced the county Commissioners to lease a building to SAFFT. Our goal became restore families with their children in a safe and protected environment. Our first visitation center opened in 2010 and we’re about to open our fourth center in Fulton County.
SAFFT provides a lot of different programs for families. Which program are you the most passionate about and why?
The Family Restoration piece. There’s nothing like seeing a healthy family reunite with their child. Less than 5% of the kids that go through the SAFFT program return back to foster care and we are able to reduce the time kids spend in foster care by ninety days! Because of what happened to our foster girls, I am passionate about protecting kids. Brian and I did end up adopting and have seen the hardship our daughter has faced being separated from her siblings and family members.
What advice would you give someone right now who wants to make a difference in their community but doesn’t know how?
Whatever breaks your heart—that one thing you see or hear about—whatever you may be called to do, that’s where you can make a difference! Look into the organizations that are providing for that need and get involved. Share your time, talents, gifts, and resources with them. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. If you’re going to make a difference, speak up and BE BOLD!
How can our readers get involved and partner with SAFFT?
We have so many opportunities for volunteers. From our monthly parent’s night that gives our foster and adoptive families a much needed rest, to cleaning toys in the center, to helping us raise money by parking in our lot on the Fourth of July fireworks event or while attending the Cumming Fair. There are so many ways to help and so many needs in every community. We also accept children’s toys, clothing, and furniture.
Thanks so much, Ashley, for sharing your story and for making a difference in our community! 2Wrds: BE BOLD! For more encouragement and inspiration in your inbox, subscribe now! Or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
For learn more, or to partner with SAFFT, please visit www.SAFFT.org Or contact SAFFT by email info@safft.org or phone (770)886-9505. Ashley Anderson is the Founder and Development Director of SAFFT. Ashley is the true visionary of the strategic direction of the organization and continues to contribute through fundraising and speaking. Ashley served as Executive Director for 7 years and established one of the most unique models for foster care support that is impacting hundreds of families a year in Georgia. Ashley began her career in social services working in different roles including a parent-aid, transporter, and visitation monitor. She has fostered for years and also had the privilege and blessing to adopt a child. Her personal experience has led her to the strong desire to create an organization that would make a lasting impact on her community. Ashley is married with three amazing children.
Recent Comments