San Jose foster family honored
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KTVU) - A South Bay family is being honored for providing foster care to dozens of babies, from newborns to toddlers.
Over the last eight years Chuck and Norma Ward have taken in more than 30 foster care children, eight of those babies or toddlers.
"I think we're crazy sometimes, but that's what makes life interesting," Chuck Ward tells KTVU.
"It's just special to be able to give them that love that they're not able to get from a biological parents--at that point, and hopefully they'll go back to that parent," his wife, Norma, said.
On Tuesday Santa Clara County honored the Wards and two other families as Foster Parents of the Year.
"They are the most deserving and unsung heroes in our community," Tracy Bowers with the Santa Clara County Department of Family and Children's Services, said. "Over the past couple of years there has been a steady increase for the needs of homes for children."
Bowers add the county went from around 1,000 foster children in 2013 to 1300 today. But she says adoptions are also up.
The Wards admit there are challenges to being foster parents, including issues with the biological parents and dealing with some of the medical challenges for some newborns exposed to drugs and alcohol.
But they go on to say that the best part about being foster parents was getting to adopt their very first foster child, 8-year-old Angel.
"It feels good to be part of this family and to know somebody loves me," Angel Ward said.