In response to Haiti’s earthquake, Florida is preparing foster homes to take in Haitian orphans by waiving homes’ occupancy limitations.
In the aftermath of Port-au-Prince’s collapse, various organizations are working to get orphaned children out of Haiti and into a more stable environment.
“Everyone here is sleeping in the dirt,” said Kyle Shropshire, an aid worker at an orphanage in Bon Repos, Haiti.
“The kids are dehydrated and almost all of them have picked up diseases, Shropshire said. “This is no place for a child.”
Florida foster homes are providing treatment for Haitian children entering the U.S. Children can be placed in foster homes after going through medical checks.
Debra Skipper, a foster mother from Seminole County, has already seen several Haitian children enter the U.S.
“They are coming to our homes with nothing,” Skipper said. “Some don’t speak English, and they are coming from a totally different culture. We are honored to help with the children, but the challenges are different.”
Zachary Kee, a missionary and UF graduate, was in Messailler, Haiti, during the earthquake. He said he has high hopes for the Haitian children.
“I don’t feel that there is any unavoidable danger in the culture change,” Kee said.
While Florida may be changing laws to enable more orphans to come in, Skipper believes the state could do more.
“Background checks on new foster homes should be done rapidly, and we should take emergency funds from our government to accommodate these actions immediately,” she said.
As the extent of the damage in Haiti becomes more clear, Kee believes one thing is certain.
“If there is anything to do now, it is to help those who are most in need,” he said. “This is no time to look back while a nation catches fire.”
For more information, visit dcf.state.fl.us/fostercare.
