Tiandra, known as Tia, always dreamed of becoming a parent: “I just felt it in my bones that I wanted to be a mom.”

Foster care helped her dream come true.

Tia and her husband, Jorge, have been together for 11 years. Their lives were forever changed after they embarked on their fostering journey in 2018.

The couple discovered Oakland Family Services through a small-world personal connection. After reaching out to inquire about foster care, Tia and Jorge received a call within hours and learned about the first steps.

They took their time navigating the process of becoming licensed, which allowed them to continue their normal day-to-day routines while ensuring that foster care would be a good fit. “We were really feeling everything out,” Tia shared.

Everything was finalized during the height of the pandemic in 2020. The couple quickly started getting numerous calls about placements.

After carefully considering and ultimately declining two placements due to various circumstances, Tia and Jorge received a call about 13-year-old Tori. The recruiter described Tori as a "unicorn" of the foster care system due to her resilience and character.

Tia and Jorge decided to give the placement a try. “I mean, after all, she's a unicorn, right?” said Tia.

Tori quickly became a beloved member of their household. Tia remembers forming an instant bond: “I knew I wanted her to be my child within days.”

Time went by and Tori remained in the foster system. Two years later, Tia and Jorge adopted Tori, officially making her a permanent part of their family.  

“We jokingly refer to ourselves as ‘foster fails’ because we adopted our very first foster child,” Tia shared.

Today, Tia and Jorge have a regular parent/teenager relationship with now 17-year-old Tori.

“I’m her mom. He’s her dad,” Tia explained. “We laugh and joke. I harass her about her homework. She’s getting her driver’s license. To me, it is absolutely a 100% typical family dynamic. She’s our child and we don’t think of it in any other terms. It’s hard for us to even remember our lives before she joined us.”

Tia and Jorge weren’t sure if they would continue fostering after adopting Tori, but their hearts and their home remained open. Once again, they began receiving calls from recruiters daily.

“It goes to show how desperate the need is for foster parents,” said Tia.

Since Tori’s adoption, the family has taken in a total of six foster children over four years. They have had a diverse experience, welcoming children of different backgrounds, genders, and ages, the youngest being 15 months old.

Tia and Jorge’s story is a beautiful example of how fostering can change lives, both for the children and the families involved. Oakland Family Services played a crucial role in their journey by providing the necessary resources and support.

“Everybody we worked with was super helpful,” said Tia. “The staff kind of held our hands and walked us through the whole process, which we needed.”

Foster care is a service to our community’s most vulnerable children. Oakland Family Services is always looking for safe, loving, and qualified homes to ensure these children’s safety. Learn more and take the first step toward becoming a foster parent.