There are more than 600 children who are ready for adoption in Virginia. They are ready to find a permanent and loving forever family. 10 News is profiling one child who needs a home every day at 6 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. in 30 Days of Hope. The children are all ages and races and were put into foster care due to no fault of their own. 2021 marks the fifth year 10 News is doing this series.
Meet Jaden!
Jaden is in high school and a wide receiver on the football team.
The 15-year-old wants to play in the NFL. He doesn’t have a favorite team but says he looks up to “Trey, Terrell, Tremaine”. The Edmunds brothers, who grew up in Danville and are now all in the NFL.
Jaden’s been in foster care for seven years, according to Danville Department of Social Services Family Services Specialist Keshia Jones.
“It is challenging seeing the kids grow up in foster care because they don’t have that sense of normalcy, just doing normal things,” said Jones.
“I like to read and listen to music,” Jaden said.
His favorite subject is science and Jones says he does well in school.
“He makes all A’s and B’s. He doesn’t have to work hard at it at all. He just gets it,” said Jones.
He wants to be adopted and Jones says he would be a great big brother if the family had smaller children.
“He is a good kid. He’s very helpful, he’ll do well with older siblings, younger siblings,” said Jones.
If you have questions about Jaden or foster care/adoption, contact VDSS Division of Family Services, Juliet Baldwin, Adoption Recruitment Coordinator, at adoptioninquiries@dss.virginia.gov.
To see other 30 Days of Hope stories visit us here.
We also have a list of frequently asked questions about foster care and adoption including the cost, training, etc in this link.