Foster Parents Fill Vital Role in Providing Safety, Stability, and Love

Gary and Caitlin Kleinpaste have an open table in their home for current, former, and new foster children who need a sense of stability, familiarity, and love. Each child is welcome to share a meal and feel their love and support.

May is National Foster Care Month, when Franklin County Children Services joins a nationwide effort to spread awareness and show support for children and youth in foster care who urgently need safe homes and loving caregivers as they wait to be reunited with their families.

The Kleinpastes, who received the 2024 FCCS Family Appreciation Award, are among those who fill this vital role. 

Foster parents for more than seven years, the couple currently have five children (two sibling groups) placed with them. As “treatment foster parents” with extensive training and experience, the Kleinpastes are often asked to care for children who have specific needs. 

An eagerness to become foster parents was something that the Kleinpastes shared even prior to their marriage. 

As a child, Gary experienced homelessness for a time, which inspired him to want to help other children as an adult. “There are a lot of kids in the foster system who need love and I wanted to give it to them,” Mr. Kleinpaste said.  

Caitlin’s parents fostered several children and adopted her brother. She recalls her mother sitting her down and telling her and her siblings they had an opportunity to help families by taking care of their children temporarily. “I remember being really excited by that,” said Ms. Kleinpaste. “Over the years, I came to love it.” 

The couple agreed on wanting to foster early in their relationship. “This was a big part of what we wanted to do with our lives,” Caitlin added. 

While fostering isn’t easy, the Kleinpastes find it rewarding. After several years of experience, they’ve learned a great deal about how to best support the children who come to them. 

“It takes time, consideration, research, and trial and error to work with each child to get them into a situation where their needs are being met,” said Ms. Kleinpaste.  

The Kleinpastes consider fostering a calling and find it very rewarding. “When you see kids making break throughs, growing, and developing, it is amazing and it’s the best thing in the world,” Ms. Kleinpaste said. 

Great foster parents are treasured, and according to FCCS Adoptions Supervisor Maggie Zych, the Kleinpastes are highly regarded and valued. “They do everything they can to provide these children and their biological families with grace, empathy, and room to heal,” Ms. Zych said. 

She recalled how the couple juggle their schedules to ensure that every appointment is made, every requirement is met, and the children feel safe and secure. “Gary and Caitlin never miss,” Ms. Zych said. 

The Kleinpastes plan to keep fostering and be a lasting source of support for those they’ve already helped. “We want to continue to be there for our kids and help other kids that we’re uniquely suited to help,” said Mr. Kleinpaste. 

Are you interested in becoming a foster parent? Join FCCS at our first Franklin County Foster Care Fair, co-sponsored by Action for Children, on May 4 from 9:30-3:00 p.m. at the Grand Event Center at Grandview Yard (820 Goodale Blvd.)  Visit fccs.us to learn more. 

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