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My parents were foster parents, so my brother and I grew up welcoming children into our home—children carrying stories and experiences far beyond what we could fully understand. Grace (name changed to protect identity) was one of them. She came from a single-parent home where substance use had created instability. She was missing school and often didn't have much to come home to. Then she came to us. My parents couldn't erase what Grace had experienced. But they could give her something different: stability, consistency, and the chance to simply be a kid. New clothes. New shoes. A safe place to sleep. Someone making sure she got to school. Someone celebrating her better grades. Someone reminding her that where she came from didn't have to determine where she was going. And while Grace was with us, her mom was working toward recovery. Slowly, things began to change. Visits became possible. Their relationship began to heal. And eventually, Grace went home. For a while, things were looking up. Then, a few years later, substance use returned to their lives. Grace lost her mom, and her world was turned upside down once again. But Grace wasn't alone. Someone in her family stepped forward. Someone showed up when she needed them. Someone helped her navigate her teenage years and eventually find her way into adulthood. Grace had a someone. Her story is a reminder that showing up doesn't always mean changing someone's circumstances. Sometimes, it means being the person who stays when circumstances change. And Grace's story is just one story. In Georgia, 14,406 children came through the foster care system during state fiscal year 2025. Source: Georgia CASA Behind every number is a child who deserves someone in their corner. So, what can you do? Start here.  1. Be an AdvocateYou don't have to be a lawyer, social worker, or child welfare professional to advocate for a child. You can become a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). CASA volunteers are trained community members appointed to advocate for children involved in the juvenile court system. They get to know the child, gather information from the people involved in their life, and advocate for what is in the child's best interest. And perhaps most importantly, they become a consistent adult in a child's life. In Georgia, 2,541 CASA volunteers served 7,831 children in FY2026, according to Georgia CASA. That's thousands of children with someone showing up for them. But there are still children who need an advocate. You could be that someone. [Learn about becoming a CASA volunteer →] Source: Georgia CASA  2. Become a Mentor or Caring AdultWhat happens when a young person leaves foster care and suddenly has to navigate adulthood on their own? Finding a job. Managing money. Figuring out school or career goals. Finding housing. Making big decisions. Building a life. For many young people, these are things they have to navigate while also figuring out what comes next—and having a caring, consistent adult in their corner can make a meaningful difference. That's where mentors and caring adults come in. You don't have to have all the answers. You don't have to be an expert in everything from budgeting to career planning. You can simply be someone who listens, encourages, shares what you've learned, helps work through a challenge, and celebrates the wins. At Brightside, Brighter Futures connects young people ages 16–25 who are transitioning from foster care with caring adult mentors who support them as they work toward their goals and independence. Because adulthood shouldn't mean suddenly having to figure everything out alone. Sometimes, the most meaningful thing you can give a young person is someone they know they can call. [Learn about becoming a Brighter Futures Mentor →]  3. Learn Before You AssumeIf you want to help children and families, start by understanding what they're actually experiencing. Foster care is not one-size-fits-all. Children enter care for different reasons. Families have different circumstances. And the goal isn't always adoption. Georgia DFCS works with families toward addressing safety concerns and, when possible and safe, reunification. The agency also considers kinship care when identifying placement options. Understanding the difference between foster care, kinship care, reunification, adoption, and family preservation can change the way you talk about—and support—children and families. Before you share an assumption, share a statistic. Before you judge a family, learn more about what they're facing. Being someone starts with being willing to understand.  4. Give What You CanAs we enter the holiday season, they have a way of reminding us how good it feels to give. But giving doesn't always mean buying something or writing a check. Sometimes, the most meaningful gifts are your time, your voice, or your willingness to help. Maybe you give your time by volunteering with Brightside on a community project or helping with a special event. Maybe you share Brightside's work with your friends, family, coworkers, or social media followers so more people understand what children and families in our community need. Maybe you give financially through the Georgia Fostering Success Act, you can redirect Georgia income tax you already owe to directly support young people transitioning out of foster care as they work toward adulthood and independence. Your gift doesn't have to look like someone else's. It just has to come from a willingness to help. Give your time. Give your voice. Give what you can. Want to learn more about how you can give through the Georgia Fostering Success Act? → [Learn More About the Fostering Success Act] And if you're looking for another way to give this season, ask us what we need. There may be a volunteer opportunity, project, in-kind need, or way to spread the word that fits what you have to offer. Because giving isn't about having the most to give. It's about choosing to give something.  5. Show Up—and Keep Showing UpShowing up doesn't always look like a big gesture. Sometimes, it looks like checking in. Listening. Remembering. Encouraging. Answering the phone. Keeping a promise. And sometimes, it means showing up again when things get hard. Children and families don't just need people who care when everything is going well. They need people who are willing to stay present through the changes, challenges, and unexpected turns. Grace had people who showed up for different chapters of her life. My parents showed up when she needed a safe place to land. Her mom worked to show up for her. And later, when Grace lost her mom, someone else in her family stepped forward and continued showing up as she navigated her teenage years and adulthood. Someone got her through one chapter. Someone else helped her through the next. That's the power of showing up. You may not be able to change someone's circumstances. You may not have all the answers. But you can be the person who answers the call, keeps a promise, celebrates a milestone, or simply lets someone know they don't have to navigate it alone. Show up. And then, keep showing up. You don't have to do everything. You don't have to have all the answers. You just have to start somewhere. Give your time. Give what you can. Learn. Listen. Show up. Because every child deserves someone in their corner. Someone got you here. Now, you can be that someone. Sources & Additional InformationGeorgia CASA - Child Welfare Statistics Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) - Foster Care in Georgia
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