In the course of her life, the 75-year-old Linda Herring from Johnson County, Iowa, has been a foster parent over 600 times. The kids that Linda took care of and gave food, shelter, and love to often had special medical needs. Alongside helping all these children, Linda raised five of her own. The astonishing acts of kindness of this woman are what foster care needs all over the world.
What Is Foster Care?
Fostering a child means providing them with temporary care. At the same time, the birth family members work on improving their situation so the child can return to a safe and healthy environment. The 75-year-old Iowan was not only making sure her foster children had food, clothes, and specialized medical care, but at one point, she was also running a home daycare. She was even working as a high-school custodian in the evenings.
Taking Kids With Medical Needs
Linda wanted to focus on taking care of kids that were both young and had special medical needs. She talked to the local county’s Department of Human Services, and they agreed to give her the chance to focus on care for little children with different medical conditions.
In 2017, Iowa was 6th in the United States for children in foster care, and nearly 40% of them required mental health medication. Linda was one of the most dedicated foster parents throughout these years and made sure she kept clothes of different sizes at hand so that the kids had clothes waiting for them as soon as they arrived. She would cook them warm meals and give them clean clothes as if they were her own children.
Retiring From a Lifetime of Being a Parent
In 2019, Linda chose to retire from her job as a foster mom due to health concerns. After the announcement of her decision, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors decided to honor the woman in an appreciation ceremony for her 50-year-long service and parenting over 600 children in need.