Nurturing Women: There’s Love in the House
By Amy Rognlie | Photography by Justin Borja
When Candace Cartwright and her husband, Tim, first became licensed foster parents seven years ago, she never could have predicted how that journey would lead her to establish a unique nonprofit, Foster Love Bell County.
Foster Love opened the doors of its recently remodeled home in Belton this year, where it serves Bell County by meeting the needs of foster children and those who love them.
After adopting a child through the foster system, Candace, a pastor’s wife and stay-at-home mom of four, found she couldn’t ignore the needs of children in the foster-care system that she had witnessed firsthand. She began collecting toiletries and other items for families in need, often distributing them from her home.
“My neighbors probably thought we were crazy with so many people coming and going,” she laughs. She then created a Facebook group, calling it Foster Love Bell County, to garner community support to help meet the needs of the children and their caseworkers. She says that both the needs and the response were so overwhelming that she quickly realized she couldn’t fulfill her vision alone. “To make it sustainable, I had to collaborate with other organizations and professionals to make this something that would make a lasting impact in our community.”
Candace recently presided over a ribbon-cutting ceremony as the executive director of the organization, proudly opening the doors to the Foster Love House. The completely renovated home offers several kid-friendly bedrooms and play rooms where caseworkers can take children to stay overnight as they enter the foster-care system.
One of the professionals Candace turned to for encouragement was her long-time friend, Kim White. Kim, with her husband, Jeff, recently opened The 4-1-1 House in East Temple, a safe and welcoming place where teenage boys hang out after school and receive homework help, mentoring, training in life skills and a whole lot of love. The couple purchased the historic house themselves (it was originally the home of civil rights activist Myrtle Captain) and then renovated it with a grant from Chip Gaines (host of HGTV’s “Fixer Upper”), creating a home where boys can spend time and find encouragement.
Kim, who has a master’s degree in counseling and a long track record of community service, says, “Candace and I didn’t even mean to be on such similar journeys, but somehow it happened. It’s so helpful to have a friend who gets it.”
Candace agrees. “We laugh a lot. That helps make the hard things more bearable. I think Kim and I are good sounding boards for each other. She is an excellent listener who empathizes, really hears me, and then kicks me in the butt to keep going. I hope I do that for her, too.”
The brightly colored décor and furnishings of both the Foster Love House and The 4-1-1 House were styled by Ben and Allie Guenther, interior designers in Salado, who donated their time to do so. The furniture was provided by generous donations from local private and corporate sponsors.
“It was amazing to see how many people in our community pitched in to make it happen,” Kim says, smiling at a group of kids playing foosball in The 4-1-1 House’s living room. “This has been a construction zone for so long that it was really unbelievable to see furniture finally going in. When it was done, my family and I sat on the couch and took a few minutes to appreciate all that has happened and how far this has come.”
“It’s hard to sum up what is the number-one problem facing children in our community,” Candace says. “But the breakdown of the family plays a huge part.”
Kim concurs, adding, “Our hope at The 4-1-1 House is that we can help under-served boys in East Temple grow up with stronger relationships, more experience and opportunities and a vision of what it looks like to be strong men. We want to help them love their families well.”
Foster Love House
If you’ve got time on your hands and want to help, the Foster Love House needs ongoing assistance with housekeeping and yard work.
Items needed:
Diapers and pull-ups
Pacifiers & baby wipes
Toiletries & feminine products
Lice kits
Ear buds
Socks & pajamas
Plastic tote bins—new or gently used, with attachable lids
Safety items—outlet covers, cabinet locks, etc.
1003 N. Main St., Belton
Facebook.com/FosterLoveBellCounty/
254-831-3141
The 4-1-1 House
If you feel you have what it takes to mentor at-risk boys and young men, The 4-1-1 House seeks adult male volunteers to help make a difference in boys’ lives.
Items needed:
Snacks & drinks
Toiletries
Cleaning supplies
Paper goods
Swim goggles & toys
Footballs
411 S. 32nd St., Temple
Facebook.com/The411Temple/
BridgeEastTemple@gmail.com
214-454-7448
