May is National Foster Care Awareness Month! During this month, we’re not only raising awareness about foster care, but we are also celebrating the beautiful work of collaboration in this space. (Watch our new “As One” documentary series here for some incredible stories about the work happening in our city.) With this focus, we are revisiting the very first episode we shared on The Riverside Project Podcast. In this conversation, Jason Johnson joined us to break down the parable of the River and how it relates to issues facing Houston’s child and family welfare system. Foster care is ..read more

For young adults who faced significant challenges growing up, it can be very hard to successfully transition into the workforce.  They may not have the resources or self-confidence to strive for a fulfilling career. As a result, they may end up unemployed or stuck in a cycle of jobs that don’t offer upward mobility.  Today’s guest, Brian Meza, is tackling this problem with his Petra Cares program. We are so excited to spread the word about this inspiring resource, as we believe it’s truly an invaluable asset to our community.  As the Executive Director of Petra Cares, Brian part ..read more

Life as a foster parent is a constant learning process. You complete extensive training, but quickly realize that there's always more to learn. As you figure out the best ways to meet the needs of the children in your care, one thing continues to become clear—every child comes with their own unique needs. The best way to grow in how you're supporting the children in your care is to gain experience, and that’s why I’m so grateful to have sat down with Chelsea Floro. Chelsea is an adoptive, foster, and biological mom to eight children. She’s also the founder of The Moses Closet of The Woodlands ..read more

The foster care system’s primary goal is to serve the best interests of the families within it. Whenever possible, that means reuniting biological parents with their children. To help a family heal, birth parents need intentional support. But all too often, they aren’t given the resources they need to overcome their challenging life circumstances and set their family on a positive trajectory. In this episode, I am joined by two incredible women from Decatur, Texas: Catherine Vannatta and Tiffany Maggret. Catherine currently serves as a CASA advocate, while Tiffany is the Founder and Executive ..read more

It’s a joy to have Travis Hand, a Licensed Master Social Worker who currently serves as a Behavioral Health Specialist at Texas Children’s Hospital, on the podcast. Once a teen struggling to navigate the challenges of growing up in the foster care system, Travis gained a strong passion for social work in college. Today, Travis uses their education, skills, and lived experience to make a real impact on the lives of the individuals they work with. In this episode, Travis shares how key adults in their life helped them recognize their potential and take positive steps to fulfill it, how their pas ..read more

We are delighted to have the Deputy Regional Director at the Texas Department of Family Protective Services, Shaundricka Easley, on the podcast. She has been with the department for over 15 years and had various roles during that time as well as served all 13 counties across the Houston area. Shaundricka gives us unique insight from her vast experience, including some of the challenges she faces on a daily basis, how to support the children within the system, what can happen when we work together, and so much more! Find the show notes and links to anything we discussed here: https://riversidep ..read more

“Who is with them long term?” This is the question that Jenni Lord started asking after her organization helped fund hundreds of adoptions. What she realized is that the breakdown of these adoptive families often stemmed from the parents not being equipped to handle the behaviors and challenges that came along with trauma. Today, Jenni Lord is a resolute advocate for fostering family healing through the power of genuine connection. Her journey blends personal experiences with a visionary commitment to transforming the child welfare landscape. In 2008, she established Chosen, a trailblazing non ..read more

Foster youth face many challenges, and education can be one of them. In fact, studies show that just 4% of children who have experienced foster care will go on to obtain a four-year college degree. Children who are involved within the foster care system also experience a higher number of school transitions, lower academic achievement, heightened experiences of exclusionary school discipline, higher drop out rates, and decreased access to postsecondary education. Accessible resources and healthy relationships are needed to help youth build a strong educational foundation that will guide them in ..read more

Former foster youth face many challenges, and education can be one of them. In fact, studies show that just 4% of children who have experienced foster care will go on to obtain a four-year college degree. The challenges facing former foster youth when it comes to education are vast. In many cases, foster youth go under the radar because there is often very little communication or access to resources to help them build a strong educational foundation now or in the future. In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Danisha Keating. She is an author, CEO, business leader, and holds a Ph.D. in Psychology ..read more

Anytime there is news related to the border or a refugee crisis, we frequently hear this question: “How does our city serve unaccompanied minors and refugees that come to our country without their parents? Does this affect the foster care community?” You may never have heard the term “international foster care” before, but this is a unique and important topic. You may be curious how the federal programs are run, how people can get involved, and how it’s different from domestic foster care. This is why we’re really glad to have Krista Kesseler here to shed some light on the topic of servin ..read more