Rachel Napolitano visits
the Ulster County SPCA with her biological children, Molly, 8, and
Maverick, 6. The Napolitanos work tirelessly for several charitable causes in
the Hudson Valley, and have fostered five children in the past year.
“There is a dire need for foster parents in our area and the state in general.”
Children
need stability as much as they need air, water and food. Stability is the
necessary foundation upon which a child’s emotional and intellectual life is
built.
Rachel
Napolitano, a mother of two biological and two foster children in Saugerties,
is trying to help cement as many of the leaky foundations she can get her hands
on in the Hudson Valley. Unfortunately, there are all too many.
“My husband
and I have always wanted to foster children, but we wanted our biological
children to be old enough to go to school and also understand the process a bit
more before we brought any other children into our home,” Napolitano explains.
For
Napolitano, family and community have always been synonymous and intertwined.
Growing up to be (and marrying) someone whose job does more than just provide a
paycheck seemed par for the course, she says.
Her husband
of seven years, Mike, works in case management in the mental health field and
she works at the Boys & Girls Club afternoon extension program, and as a
Girl Scout assistant leader in her 8-year-old daughter Molly’s troop.
The
Napolitanos face the typical Hudson Valley parent juggle: job, schoolwork,
after-school activities, sleep, wash, rinse, repeat. But instead of just
passively watching the balls spin over their heads, they get involved, and
throw in a few more for good measure.
Rachel,
Mike, Molly and their son, Maverick, 6, spend their down time from work and
school volunteering for a variety of local and national causes, including the
Ulster County SPCA, the Buddy Walk
benefitting the National Down’s Syndrome Society, individual pediatric cancer
patients in their town (Rachel makes balloon animals at local parties and then
sends the proceeds to local patients) and the campaign launched by the Special
Olympics against the “R-Word.”
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Fostering,
however, takes their commitment to the community home with them — literally.
“There is a
dire need for foster parents in our area and the state in general,” Napolitano
says.
In New York
State there are more than 20,000 children in foster care, according to the
latest statistics from the New York State Citizens’ Coalition for Children. The
Ulster County Department of Social Services took 58 children out of their
parents’ homes between January and April of 2014, which accounts for more
removals in four months than all of 2013, according to a recent report in the Daily Freeman.
To get
licensed, potential parents take classes for 10 weeks and have in-home visits
from social workers who interview everyone in the family to ensure that all
members will welcome new children with open arms.
“It has been an incredible experience for the
whole family,” Napolitano says. “I have really seen my children blossom and
grow in their roles as siblings to the children. In total, we have had five
foster children come through our home so far, including our two we have now.
Depending on their needs, it can be for just a week or forever, if the child is
officially put up for adoption.”
Napolitano
is committed to protecting the privacy of her foster children, and refrains
from discussing their ages, genders or names. The Napolitanos would welcome
adoption, she says. “We knew saying goodbye would be hard for all of us, but we
were surprised how hard it was,” she says. “I got almost instantly attached to
every child we brought home. I don’t know if it’s a mommy thing or a young
child thing or what, but I went through the same the hormonal cycles I went
through after giving birth twice when we initially brought them home. Within 48
hours every time, it hit me like a ton of bricks. But a good ton of bricks.”
While few
parents can find the time to make their way to the end of this article, much
less structure their entire work, family and recreational life around helping
others, everyone has time to sign a pledge, participate in a fundraising walk or choose to adopt their next pet from their local shelter. You can also always just hire Napolitano
for your next party, knowing that little Susie’s birthday entertainment is
providing more than just a moment’s thrill. To hire Napolitano for your next
party, visit her Facebook page.
So get out
there! Like the Napolitanos, you may find you get even more than you give.
Do you know a Hudson Valley parent who inspires you? We want to profile local parents who impact their community through business, politics, volunteer work, grassroots advocacy, you name it. Submit your “I am a Hudson Valley Parent” nominations here.
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