Close Ad

Foster Teen Requests to Feed the Homeless on Show - What the Producers Do Next Changes His Life
foster teen feeds the homeless on Wednesdays child show - leads to his adoption
Uplifting News

Foster Teen Requests to Feed the Homeless on Show - What the Producers Do Next Changes His Life

An adoptive father expanded his family after meeting a generous teen.

The foster care system is notorious for negative outcomes and stories of greed. Foster children, especially teenagers, don’t always find a happy ending. One teenager in Texas, however, found a home in an unexpected place. 

Why a Foster Dad Wanted to Adopt a Teenager

2 men standing in front of a white car
Photo by Any Lane

Laterras R. Whitfield was the only single Black man looking to become a foster parent in his foster care licensing class. Despite the odd looks he got from other attendees, he felt strongly that he was setting a good example for young men like him, and was looking forward to getting started on his foster parent journey.


He was in the class because he wanted to foster, and eventually adopt, his seven year old nephew LaDarrion. Laterras’ sister had been forced to surrender her son to CPS (Child Protection Services) due to her drug addiction, and LaDarrion spent seven months bouncing between foster homes until his uncle stepped in.

RELATED: 10-Year-Old Boy Nobody Wanted To Adopt Is Sent To Foster Family – What Happens Next Changed Their Life

In 2017, after two years as a foster parent, Laterras officially adopted his nephew. The whole event inspired Laterras to make a promise to himself: He would adopt again, but next time it would be a teenager.

Local Texas news station WFAA runs a weekly program calledWednesday’s Child, which features children who have been in the foster care system for a long period of time. The children who are featured on the show have parents who have terminated their parental rights, essentially making them orphans and candidates for adoption.

What One Dad Did When He Saw a Teen on the Wednesday’s Child Show

One day, Laterras was watching Wednesday’s Child and, through that program, became aware of teenager Armani Green. The producers of the show contacted Laterras because Armani wanted to feed the homeless during his segment -- an amazing activity that Laterras was passionate about.

When he finally met Armani, he knew instantly that the boy would be his son. The very next day, Laterras got the ball rolling to renew his foster care license. On July 8, Armani’s 16th birthday, he was placed in Laterras’ home. Then, on November 23rd, Laterras officially adopted him. 

RELATED: Foster Mom Fights To Adopt Baby No One Wanted - 20 Years Later, He Goes Behind Her Back And Does This

"The love of these boys has changed me forever. Because of my experience, I encourage you to open your heart and home to become involved in the lives of the precious souls in the foster care system. There are many ways to become engaged: [...] volunteer, respite care provider, foster care parent, and, ultimately, an adoptive parent," he said.

Your love can truly change the trajectory of a child’s life, and I am living proof of this.

Laterras R. Whitfield

Laterras, who also has biological children, is an amazing advocate for the foster care system and for adoption. While it certainly isn’t easy, becoming an adoptive parent and giving a child in need a home, and even more importantly, a loving family, is the greatest gift you can give.

KEEP READING:

Single Mom & Former Foster Child Adopts 6 Boys - Gives Them the Family She Never Had

FAMILY Can be chosen
Family isn't always blood related; sometimes, it's about who you feel at home with.

Hot Stories

Leonardo DiCaprio Told Kate Winslet To “Let The Fat Girl Thing Go”
Leo Dicaprio Told Kate Winslet To “Let The Fat Girl Thing Go” …

Forced to feel ashamed for her weight and appearance, Kate Winslet struggled with her body image for years. The media loved to tease her for being “the fat girl,” but there was ONE PERSON who saw the real her. What did Leo see in Kate? And what important message does Kate have for young women everywhere?


Keep ReadingShow less
Videos
45 Moving Quotes about Community Service and Support
Community Quotes

A community is more than just people sharing a space. It's a living, breathing network of connections and shared experiences. While it's usually defined as “a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common,” genuine community runs deeper.

Good Neighbors

Keep ReadingShow less
Quotes
friends ready for game night
Game Night photo by Big Potato on Unsplash
Game Night photo by Big Potato on Unsplash

People love trivia, that’s just a fact. That explains the popularity of long-running shows like Jeopardy or Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, and countless volumes of trivia books. Despite its close relationship to "trivial," trivia can be of great importance, particularly to those who love nothing more than to challenge -- and, ideally, beating -- their friends in battles of knowledge. And for that, they require hard trivia questions for the next big game night.

RELATED: Do the 36 Questions Really Lead to Love?

But how do you plan the best trivia night for your friends? You come up with the best trivia questions, and difficult trivia questions definitely rank among them.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pop Culture