By Darlena Moore

There are almost 11,000 children in foster care in NC, including approximately 250 in Buncombe County. The story of one of them appears here:

Angelina’s Story

I entered foster care at the age of fifteen, having been abused both emotionally and physically. Some may have seen me as “damaged goods,” but I knew I had something positive to offer the world.

I was never adopted, and eventually I aged out of the system, but through caring foster parents I was given the tools I needed to live a quality life.

Were my foster parents perfect? No. But they had some key qualities that gave me exactly what I needed to be a successful human being:

1.    They were open to hearing about my past, but only when or if I was ready to talk.

2.    They let me be myself. They knew that the foundation of my life was different than theirs and that they couldn’t mould me into someone who was a reflection of them.

3.    They set simple rules that I could follow. For example, at age sixteen, I could either work or go to school. I chose school. Another rule was don’t hurt yourself or others. Of course I knew it was wrong to hurt others, but no one had ever valued me enough to make not hurting myself a rule.

4.    They helped me take care of my health. I had only been to the dentist once. They saved my teeth and made sure I had regular doctor visits. They taught me about nutrition and exercise.

5.    They helped me unlearn bad habits, gently and without criticism. I had been living in a world of stereotypes and bad grammar. Without the criticism I was open to learning and hearing a different view.

These simple gestures allowed me to lead a healthy, happy life.

Everyone can make a difference by learning more about fostering or adopting on Saturday, November 13 from 2 to 5 p.m., when the Buncombe County Department of Social Services, along with many other area foster care agencies, will host the annual WNC Foster/Adopt Fall Festival at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Asheville (off I-240 between Sam’s Club and the Westgate shopping plaza).

The Foster/Adopt Fall Festival is a free, no-pressure, drop-in event, where the public can learn about becoming a foster parent and about older children who are waiting for adoption. Visitors can meet with different agencies as well as with foster and adoptive parents. Family activities include arts and crafts for the kids, face painting, light snacks, and giveaways.
For more information call Erica Jourdan at (828) 775-2404 or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it