Michael French and his wife LeeAnn started helping foster families years ago by providing respite care, which is evening or weekend care for a child or youth who is living with a foster family. They soon desired to open their hearts and home for longer periods of time as foster parents.

Jeanetta Davis had lived with her cousin for three
years, and on her 16th birthday, the cousin
decided she had to go. Michael and LeeAnn opened their home to Jeanetta and have loved her since the day they met. They have taught her what love looks like, and Jeanetta chose to share her appreciation for her foster father by nominating him for Father of the Year.

The contest, sponsored by the National Center for Fathering, asked students to submit their essays on “What My Father Means To Me.” More than 1,000 area students submitted their essays, and Jeanetta’s story landed in the top 60. Below is the essay Jeanetta submitted to describe what her foster father Michael means to her:

“I wasn’t blessed with a biological father to take care of me, or watch me mature and grow up. I wasn’t blessed with a father figure to take on the role of my father until my 16th birthday. My father figure is my foster dad. My father means not wanting a father-daughter relationship anymore because I now have that. My foster dad means knowing that I not only have a mother that supports me, but my father as well. My father means knowing how to select a husband because of the virtues I want in a mom are the same as my fathers. I now know how to act and how I should be treated as a young woman. My father means the world to me because he’s not only my father, he’s a positive influence that I need in my life.”

On June 10th, the men nominated for Father of the Year and their children were recognized on the field at Kauffman Stadium (home of the Kansas City Royals major league baseball team). You can view more photos and read more about the contest in this article from The Kansas City Star. Thank you Michael, LeeAnn, and all of our foster families for the support and care you give to children and youth in need!

If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, or would like to help a child or family in need, you can learn more here.