Trinity Youth Services recently celebrated a monumental milestone for youth who need forever families. We are very proud to announce our 100th adoption! The Glinton-Holmes Family have added two new sons to their amazing family, our 100th and 101st adoptions. Since 1966, Trinity Youth Services has served over 65,000 children and families, and we are honored to give youth a fresh start with loving parents.
While our top goal is to help youth reunify with their birth families, there are times when this is not possible, or safe. In that case, we are happy to provide a child with a forever family who can take them in as their own, so that they can receive the love, nurturing, and support they need to live happier and successful lives.
At Trinity Youth Services, our team continues to work very hard to help every child who needs a forever family, get connected with parents who are committed to their happiness, growth and stability. Jackie Jakob, Trinity Youth Services’ Director of Foster Care and Adoptions, expressed her enthusiasm for this amazing accomplishment.
“It’s such an exciting milestone for the Adoptions Program. We’ve had the pleasure of helping 100 children find their forever homes. Our team has enjoyed working with each of our adoptive families. It’s been extremely rewarding to know that in some small way we helped create these new families. Congratulations to the Glinton-Holmes family for being our 100th Adoption!”
Cher Ofstedahl, Trinity Youth Services’ CEO, says, “All of us at Trinity are more than elated to be celebrating our 100th adoption. I don’t think of it as a singular milestone, so much as 100 individual, life-changing milestones. Uniting a foster child with a forever family is amazing,” she says. “Uniting 100 foster children with forever families is beyond my wildest dreams. I am grateful to the dedicated adoption team at Trinity, the social workers, mental health professionals, and most importantly, the families who have opened their hearts and homes to the children. I am feeling humbled and honored.”
Roomina Islam, Trinity Youth Services’ Monterey Park Foster Care Director, congratulates the Glinton-Holmes Family saying, “We have observed the dedication and support this family provides to children in their care and we are so happy to be part of their journey.”
April Glinton and her husband, Maurice Holmes, are one of our most dedicated adoptive parents. The couple adopted 4-year-old Keenston on April 6, 2021 (our 100th adoption) and 3-year-old Branden shortly after on May 5. The family is also planning to adopt their 2-year-old foster daughter, and are parents to their biological daughter, Marnise, who has always wanted siblings.
Caring for children has always been a passion for April. She and her husband decided to become resource parents after hearing about a friend’s experience with fostering. According to April, “She had told us about their journey as foster parents. We prayed, put some thought into it, and decided that we wanted to be foster parents. Having a preschool background, I’ve always loved working with kids. I’ve also always been told that working with children was a calling for me.” Maurice, April’s husband, is also passionate about helping youth by giving them love and support. “Every child deserves to be loved and feel secure. Trinity Youth Services has been very helpful and hands-on during our adoption process,” he says.
After speaking with their friend and hearing about her experience, April and her husband choose Trinity Youth Services as their fostering agency. “Our friend had told us about Trinity and how pleased she was with the agency. So, I researched online and found a Trinity office that was close to where we live. I made an appointment to begin our process, and upon arrival, the staff was friendly and very welcoming. The staff was also very professional and passionate. We knew then we had made the right decision choosing Trinity,” says April.
After becoming certified as a resource parent through Trinity Youth Services, they fostered six children. During the beginning of their fostering journey, they faced a difficult challenge. “After our first placement was reunified with family, we weren’t sure if we wanted to take another child. They let us know that it was okay to feel hurt, and if we needed some time to grieve, that was fine, too. And, for us to remember that things will be okay,” says April.
Due to their love for children, and wanting to make a difference, April and her husband decided to continue with fostering, and recently adopted their two boys. “The most rewarding part of being an adoptive parent, is everything,” April says. “From the moment the children were placed with us as a foster, until this very day. The greatest reward is the love that I’m giving and receiving back from our children and knowing that I’m providing my children with a good, stable home surrounded by a caring and loving family. Every step of this journey has led us to this moment,” says April.
Many people believe adopting a child costs thousands of dollars and or is a complicated process. Trinity Youth Services provides a Foster-to-Adopt Program that supports parents, and helps them provide a forever home to a child with minimal expenses. April describes her adoption experience as, “Overall it was easy, but a long process. You definitely need to have patience and understanding, and having a good rapport with your adoption worker and attorney helps you along the way.”
Foster and adoptive parents have a powerful and unique role, which is to teach their children life skills and help them develop qualities that will help them excel in life. According to April, “We are teaching them at the age of three and four that they must use their manners, and that friends and family are important. Also, you finish what you start. Just because something may be challenging for you, you can’t give up. Finishing is always rewarding.”
Some potential parents are concerned about dealing with a child’s behaviors, so they are hesitant to take a child into their home. Getting a strong support system in place is something that is helping April and her husband succeed as parents. According to April, “We have a great pediatrician that refers us to resources that can help our little ones. We also give our best effort to take classes that help us help them, and use positive reinforcements. We also recommend being very patient and understanding of your child’s needs. Make sure to utilize your resources, and find yourself a support group.”
If you love children, and love the idea of fostering, but are afraid of becoming too attached, April says, “Being a foster parent isn’t easy, but being a child in the foster system is harder. That fear as a parent that your foster children could be reunified with their family doesn’t go away, or doesn’t get easier. I know taking a child into your home, whether it’s for a short time or long-term and having to say goodbye is going to be painful for you and them,” she says.
“Just know that you are doing a good service of taking in a child that needs you and providing them a safe and loving home. Try not to let the fear consume you because it can take away your full potential of love and nurturing you can provide. That is why it’s important you have a clear understanding of fostering, and the reward, which is knowing that you are giving a child a head start in life.”
If you are interested in fostering or adopting, click here to get started. To talk with our helpful staff, call 888.346.9645 or email clopez@trinityys.org. Join us in creating a better future for children and families!
Eve Powers, Foster Care Marketing Specialist
Eve has a strong commitment to helping foster youth and their families thrive and live successful lives. A former foster youth, Eve obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Communications from California State University, San Bernardino, and is a certified Holistic Life Coach, motivational writer, self-help author and celebrity interviewer. Beyond the Trinity Youth Services blog, Eve’s articles can be found in numerous platforms including Foster Focus Magazine, Heart & Soul Magazine, BET Centric and Huffington Post. A passionate advocate for the LGBTQ community, Eve continues to educate, support and mentor foster youth throughout Southern California.
Photography by Kirstie Rickert
