SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGES –  FATHER’S DAY  “A TALE OF TWO DADS”

 

COCONUT CREEK, FL – SOS Children’s Villages Florida, a foster care community in Broward County, shares a “Tale of Two Dads” to commemorate the true meaning of family as we celebrate this Father’s Day with a heartwarming story of love and fatherhood.

It all began in 2009 when Eryc Allen, a former foster child himself, joined SOS as an intern in the Human Resources department. He became familiar with SOS over the years while growing up in foster care, and two of his sisters had lived at the Village for several years. To this day, Eryc says that he has been profoundly impacted by not only growing up without his mother, but the absence of his siblings during his childhood moved him in such a way that it shaped his entire concept of family. It was at this point that he knew at the deepest level inside himself that he wanted to create his own family one day.

Over the years Eryc’s career at SOS grew to where he now serves as the Residential Manager overseeing all of the foster parents in the Village. It was during this time that he met and formed a tight bond with a sibling group who had been with us for three years, and whose parental rights had been terminated through the courts. Because there were so many children, their grandmother was unable to care for all of them, and she could not simply select one or two amongst them. Such is some of the sadness which comes with foster care.

As Eryc grew to know the children, the bond between them began to form. As it grew, he began to seriously consider what life would be like if they were all to become a family. At this point Eryc approached his partner, Jeremy about the possibility of them becoming parents to four children. Jeremy initially expressed apprehension, but after becoming a mentor to one of their now sons, he was fully on board. The two got married and began to prepare their home to welcome their two daughters Kamaria 13, and Keila 8 and sons Keir 12, Jerrick 9.

 

When asked what is one thing that you have learned about being a dad that you did not know before adopting your children , Eryc responded by sharing “You know the saying, “Patience is a virtue”? Well, let’s just say if I did not have any patience before, I have learned to master the art of it now. Kids need time and space to be/become themselves, make mistakes and grow. Kids needs attention, love, and support daily. Raising our children has opened an entirely new aspect of life for us. We move differently to ensure we are the true example of what a parent should be.” 

 Join Eryc, Jeremy, and their four children for a very special Father’s Day Zoom webinar on Thursday June 18th from 12:00 noon to 12:30 pm. You will have an extraordinary glimpse into the lives of a family who has made the transition from foster care to a unit of lifetime of love and support. You will hear from the kids and their dads on how this union has brought unparalleled happiness to their lives. https://forms.gle/h7G5t1YyevtSgfGJA

 

 

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SOS Children’s Villages – Florida is home to up to seventy foster children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment. The Village setting allows brothers and sisters, often separated in foster care, to be reunited. The nurturing and support that SOS provides prepares them to be productive members of society. SOS is accredited by the Council of Accreditation, recognizing its continuing high standards and the quality services provided to foster children. The Florida Village is part of a worldwide network of more than 500 villages caring for disadvantaged children. For more information visit www.sosflorida.com.