That is why, today, I am committing to use my podium, my microphone, and my influence to educate our state about the need for more foster parents. In every formal speech I give, I’m going to talk about it. You’re going to get tired of hearing me talk about it. So if you are a foster parent and you have a positive experience to share, send it in to my office. We will use the information with discretion, but we need to tell your stories. We need more parents, more families, more South Dakotans to raise their hands and say, “yes, I’ll be a foster parent. I agree, every child deserves a home.”
The state has a website – fosterone.sd.gov – where you can learn more, ask questions, and start the process to become a foster family. We’ll be updating the website over the next year. And I’ll be talking about it. A lot. It’s seems almost too obvious to this say out loud, but I will just to be clear – the next generation of South Dakotans will not thrive if they don’t have a home. A place to grow up. A family to love them.