Fostering Change

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to speaker and author Carlotta Taylor. Carlotta shares her story of growing up with an abusive father, escaping with her mother, and ending up in foster care during her teenage years. She credits the grace of God for helping her through the early years of her life and she writes about letting go of her painful past in the book, “No More Flinching: 5 Steps to Overcoming Adversity”. She is also the founder "Somebody Step In”, a non-profit that supports youth and former youth in foster care.For more info please visit comfortcases.org/podcast.🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Rob and Dana welcome government relations consultant Maureen Flatley. Maureen offers her unique insight into how the system actually works on the federal and state level and where she sees the disconnect between legislation that is passed and implementation. She talks about the for-profit foster care sector, the lack of accountability, and how she believes advocacy groups can make a difference.For more info, please visit comfortcases.org/podcast.Maureen Flatley is a Boston based government relations and strategic consultant.  Best known for her expertise in government reform and oversight of adoption and child welfare her work has included advocacy for children and families in a variety of areas. Using a broad bi-partisan array of relationships on Capitol Hill she has focused her attention on the nexus between individual injustice and large-scale system reform.  In that capacity she has advised public and private agencies, corporations and non-profits, attorneys, families and children.🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk about Rob's book, "A Forever Family: Fostering Change One Child at a Time". Rob explains how the book came to be, the Upworthy video that started it all, and what the process of writing was like for him. He also talks about the things he's gained - and what he lost - as a result of telling his story publicly. 🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Kimberly Raff. Kimberly is the founder of Foster Alumni Mentors, an organization that provides assistance to young adults who have aged out of the foster care system. Having aged out of foster care herself, Kimberly understands the need for "wrap around services" for young adults who lack the support they need to transition into adulthood. Not only does her organization help young people with housing assistance and filling out college paperwork, they also provide emotional support and encouragement for the youth they serve.Please visit comfortcases.org/podcast for more information.🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Rob talks about his adventures on the Amazon Prime Video show "Vacations of the Brave" and his family's appearance in the upcoming documentary film "Dads". Rob is grateful that he's been able to enjoy some amazing experiences, but for him, it's really all about bringing attention to Comfort Cases and the needs of children in the foster care system.🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to mother and daughter philanthropy team Elaine and Nina Keltz. At just 5 years old, Nina helped organize a fashion show to benefit youth in foster care. Now at age 10, she volunteers for Comfort Cases among other charities. Elaine Keltz was named Mrs. Washington, DC in 2015 and has continued to use her platform to empower women to become leaders and to focus on giving back to their communities. Together they talk about empathy, kindness, and the joy that comes from helping others.For more information, please visit comfortcases.org/podcast.🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Rob and Dana talk to adoptive father and foster care advocate Barry Farmer. Barry is a single dad who adopted 3 boys out of foster care. His story is also unique because he became a foster parent at the age of 20 and he is an African American man raising three white children. Barry was raised by his grandmother and talks about kinship care as well as the challenges he's faced raising his 3 boys. His story went viral a few years back and he has been featured in multiple local and national media outlets. For more info please visit comfortcases.org/podcast.🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Whitney Gilliard. Whitney spent her teenage years in the foster care system, mostly in group homes and juvenile detention centers, and now dedicates her time to helping youth who are aging out of care. She and her husband Maurice run a transitional housing program for 18-21 year olds to help them learn life skills and self-sufficiency. Listen as Whitney talks about the abuse she suffered as a child, where she found her strength, and how you can get involved to support her organization.Please visit comfortcases.org/podcast for more info.🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Connie Going. Connie has been a social worker in Florida for 30 years and ended up adopting her two sons out from the foster care system after she made several attempts to find homes for them. Listen as she shares her story and talks about the trauma her children experienced in foster care. She also points out the many ways in which the system has failed not only the children in care, but also foster and adoptive parents. She and her boys have been featured on ABC News, CBS News, The View, and many other major media outlets. For more info, please visit comfortcases.org/podcast.🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Jill Latchana. Not only is Jill an adoptive and foster mom, she is also a foster care advocate and a member of the Comfort Cases board. Jill became a foster mom in the '90s when she was teaching in the DC public school system. She and her husband have now adopted 4 children from foster care and they are currently caring for a 5th. She explains the urgent need for foster parents in Montgomery County, MD and throughout the country and how the community can support those taking care of these vulnerable kids.🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Comfort Cases Junior Ambassador and former Little Miss United States Aryonna Martin. At just 10 years old, Aryonna is teaching other children about the foster care system and inspiring them to give back to their communities. She and her mom Michelle talk about why Aryonna chose to support Comfort Cases and all the work they have done to help youth in foster care in their home state of West Virginia.🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk about “the trash bag” and why it is so important for people to understand why we must eliminate them from the foster care system. Rob reflects on how he felt as a 12-year-old boy carrying his belongings in a trash bag. They read letters from agencies that have received Comfort Cases and share the impact these cases have on children in care. Rob also pulled the numbers - wait until you hear how many Comfort Cases and Comfort XLs have been sent out this year alone! We need your support to continue providing dignity and hope to youth in foster care. Please visit comfortcases.org for more info about our mission and to find out how you can help.🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 2, Rob and Dana talk to foster care advocate Sonia Granados. Sonia appeared on the 4th season of the reality show "Married at First Sight" and quickly became a fan favorite as she revealed her passion for helping the homeless and youth in foster care. She currently works for a faith-based non-profit in Miami where she trains, licenses, and supports foster parents. In 2017, she hosted a podcast series in which she interviewed foster parents and former youth in foster care. Listen as she shares her thoughts about reunification, what she would like foster parents to know, and how the county in which she works has implemented some effective strategies for collaboration between birth parents and foster parents. For more info, please visit www.comfortcases.org/podcast.🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this introductory episode, Rob and Dana discuss a variety of subjects and tell listeners what they can expect in upcoming shows. They talk about the importance of educating the public about foster care, common questions about becoming foster parents, why the foster care system is shattered, and what the government is doing (and what they're not doing) for children in care. They also explain how Comfort Cases is impacting children at the border and offer some insight into how they enter the foster care system. If you would like to be a guest on an upcoming episode, please email [email protected].🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.