Foster care program seeks Spanish-speaking families

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SALT LAKE CITY – The Refugee Foster Care program of Catholic Community Services is looking for bilingual (Spanish-English) foster parents to help with children who have arrived in the United States looking for a better life.

“These kids come from Central America, from countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador. … These immigrant youth are fleeing from war, persecution and deprivation to start a new life in the U.S.,” said Meg Buonfort, a CCS refugee foster care specialist.

In their home countries, these youth often are threatened by drug cartels and gangs. “When they refuse to join a gang they get death threats, and they live in fear for their lives,” said Buonfort, adding that the foster care program helps the children get a new life.

The children in the foster care program typically arrive in the U.S. aged 15 to 17, and are by themselves.

“The youth we serve are unaccompanied, oftentimes separated from their own families, and have no adults they can turn to for help,” Buonfort said.

“These youth come by themselves simply because they didn’t have another choice if they wanted to live. Imagine that your child is not safe living with you. ... Here they have a chance to live,” she added.

Having a bilingual foster family means the youth can receive the proper help to get acclimated to the new culture.

CCS’ refugee foster care program is one of the few of its kind in the U.S.; it places unaccompanied refugee children with qualified foster families along the Wasatch Front and surrounding areas, Buonfort said.

The youth stay with the foster family until age 21, “to help ensure they make a successful transition to their new life,” she said.

Since February, the program has welcomed 10 youth; five more are expected soon.

An informational Zoom meeting about the foster care program is scheduled for Nov. 4. For information about the meeting or the program, contact Meg Buonfort, mbounforts@ccs.org.

Catholic Community Services of Utah is a foster care agency that provides services comparative to the Division of Child and Family Services. Foster parents help acclimate youth to their new home in the United States while providing them with a loving family setting. Foster parents receive compensation to cover the costs of meeting the needs for each youth. Foster parents receive an initial training with continued support from CCS throughout the fostering experience.

Source: Catholic Community Services of Utah