All children are worthy of love and care from their parents. But not all children are fortunate to have loving, responsible parents.
Many of these children are in dire need of love and affection, not just food and clothing. Melissa Servetz, a foster parent, works hard to meet the needs of these children. She also makes sure that they are loved and taken care of.
Melissa Servetz, a former foster mother, is now a single mom of four children. She had fostered 56 children over the years, but the two siblings she fostered for her last time changed her life.
Servetz’ fostering journey started when she volunteered at a children’s home. In 2015, she became an adoptive mom to young children and babies.
She is a former teacher and has worked in social services for five years. This gives her a passion for helping others.
She had fostered many children in her past years and wanted a retirement from fostering. Her maternal instinct led her to foster another child, and she gave it one more chance.
She didn’t know that her last chance at foster care would bring her the greatest senses of fulfillment.
Servetz was a teacher at Tampa Bay when she learned about these children in need of a home. They were going through a home eviction and were under an agency’s care. She called her agency, and they confirmed that the children required a foster home.
She was keen to foster the girls and offered to take care of them when she had the time. “About a week later, I picked up Jade in a parking lot with her case manager. And then a week after that, I transitioned Destiny and it was like the most natural thing ever,” Servetz shared.
“I remember those days like it was yesterday, picking them up and just carrying them.”
Matthew and Emerson are two more siblings for the two girls. Servetz was unable to break the bond between the siblings so she adopted them all.
She had to be careful with the children at first. All of them experienced trauma, including Destiny and Jade, who were subject to abuse.
Counselling was also part of the program, which helped her better deal with the children. “Adoption and foster care do pull on your heartstrings,” Servetz said.
“But at the same time, you know you’re doing something and you’re helping that child at the moment that they need you the most.”
Servetz believes her children are the best in the world. Jade is described as intelligent, funny, outgoing, and outgoing, while Destiny loves to laugh and has a great sense of humor. Matthew, on the other hand, is her favorite child.
“He was born happy. I’ve had him since he was 3 days old and he rarely is upset. He loves Paw Patrol and dinosaurs.
Emerson is right behind Emerson. Happy. ticklish. They’re all super fun and super active and just a lot of fun to be around,” said Servetz.
While foster care can be challenging, Servetz finds it rewarding. “I would do this all over again if I could because the rewards and the benefits definitely outweigh anything,” she said.
She encourages anyone who is interested in fostering or parenting. “If you do have it in your heart to open your home, open your heart, it’s not easy.
There are appointments, there’s travel, there are case managers and lots of people coming in and out of your home but if you can kind of look past that and say, ‘Hey, you know what, I want to really help and I want to give a child or children or siblings, whoever, a loving home,’ we need you and we would be most grateful to have you as part of our community.”
