Featured Family: Marissa and Brady
Meet Family Works foster parents Marissa and Brady. They live together in the Cadott area and have been doing foster care with Family Works for about 3.5 years.
Their Path to Foster Care
Marissa shares that she has been inspired to do foster care since she was a little girl. She explains that this is something she has wanted to do even before she truly knew what foster care really was. She just knew that she wanted to help kids that needed a safe place to go. Marissa’s desire to help children find a safe and loving home continued into adulthood. Marissa adds that she worked at a daycare throughout college and watching children come in who were navigating the foster care system was very hard for her. Marissa shares that when she met Brady, she explained her desire to become a foster parent and told him it was a package deal. If they were going to start dating, becoming a foster parent is something he needed to be open to in the future and he was! Marissa and Brady were first licensed with the county for about a year before switching their license to Family Works in 2022.
Spending Time Together as a Family
Marissa and Brady live together in the Cadott area with Brady’s two children, their three foster kiddos, two dogs, four cats,
and recently, twelve ducks. They enjoy being outdoors, having bon fires, going swimming and spending time with their family in Minnesota. They also enjoy movie nights and family time indoors. Another activity that they enjoy is going to watch one of Brady’s boys playing basketball.
Why Do They Keep Going?
Navigating the foster care system can be tough at times, but there are many reasons to keep going. Marissa and Brady continue to be foster parents every day because of the love and care they have for the children in their home. They continue to pursue the foster care system because they know there is such a high need for foster parents and they want to keep supporting foster children and providing them with a safe and loving home. Marissa shares that there can be tough days and sometimes tough weeks and months in a row, but they always remember that it gets better. “Everyday has the potential to be a better day”.
Navigating Challenges
Oftentimes, as you become familiar with the foster care system, it is not the children that make being a foster parent a tough role. Marissa shares that their biggest challenge is everything being out of the foster parents’ control. They can advocate for the children as much as they can/want, but overall, the county workers and court system have the final say in what happens. She adds that they may not always agree with the decisions made, but they have learned to step back and remember that it’s not our decision and we have done all that we can do (advocate). They always want the best for the children in their care. Another challenge is finding professionals such as teachers and medical providers that are trauma informed to best support the children in their home and other children navigating the foster care system.
Why Family Works?
Before getting licensed with Family Works, Marissa and Brady were first licensed with their county. They eventually decided to switch their license to a private agency to get more support with being new foster parents. Marissa and Brady enjoy working with Family Works because of the support they receive from their Family Works social workers. “If it wasn’t for that, we would have quit a long time ago”. She shares that it has been helpful to lean on their social worker when they have questions or concerns, even if it isn’t during business hours. They might have an idea or give you feedback that you didn’t think of which is super helpful. Family Works social workers are in the home several times a month and available by phone 24/7 to offer support to our foster parents. They add that having respite support has also been super helpful for them as they navigate the foster care system. “Use your respite credits. We couldn’t do it without the support of our respite providers”! Family Works offers 3 nights of respite per month (for each child) which is a great opportunity for foster parents to recharge.
Words of Advice from Marissa and Brady
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- Use your respite credits. We couldn’t do it without the support of our respite providers!
- When times get tough, always look forward to the better days that you know are ahead.
- Every child is unique and may require a different approach to parenting.
- Try it out! It isn’t something that needs to be forever if it isn’t your thing but see if it is yours. Chances are, it is!
- Even people that can’t or aren’t interested in becoming foster parents can help. They can support foster parents in their community and donate to foster closets, etc.
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Family Works Social Worker says:
“Marissa and Brady are dedicated to the children in their care. They go above and beyond to ensure the children’s needs are met. Marissa is a fierce advocate for children, working well within systems, to get their needs met. The foster parents are team players, engaging with the school, therapists, medical professionals and parents with respect and compassion. The foster parents use humor, patience and flexibility to meet children where they are at. They are a real asset to Family Works, and we are lucky to have them on our team!” – Sara, Family Works Social Worker