Page 4 - Samaritas Our Hands Fall/Winter 2023

FAMILY SERVICES

The Cook’s Foster Care Journey

When you have the experience Annie Lane and Samuel Cook have,
it only makes sense that you put the knowledge to good work. Each
of them has different motivations for supporting foster children,
but as a couple, they’re a powerful force for the greater good of the
community.

While living in Compton, California, Annie became acquainted
with fostering by caring for her two nephews.

Before meeting Annie, Sam spent nearly 20 years working in the
Los Angeles County Probation Department, working with juveniles
and later as a drug and alcohol counselor. Little did he know that
his masterful skillset would be helpful in managing some of the
challenges that come with raising foster kids.

“So, I've been nicknamed the turtle because I'm very easygoing. I The Cooks are currently fostering two nine-year-old girls and
don't give up. I like to work at a steady pace. And I like to think I'm leveraging their brand of loving discipline to help the girls thrive. Even
firm, fair, and consistent with what I do. And that's how I deal with though the girls can occasionally be a handful, the Cooks are working
children. I help them understand that there are consequences to to help them understand the root of their actions and why they act out
actions, and I describe those consequences and the possible reward to help each of them heal.
of doing what I suggested. But I leave it up to them to make the
decision because they have to learn some choices could lead to their Sam explained, “One of our girls refuses to do that. She’s tough
detriment.” because she always had to be one in charge of her [biological] family.
She had to pretend that everything was great. I think that’s her way of
As an example, Sam and Annie described a time when they fostered protecting herself from getting hurt. You have to pull back the veneer
a five-year-old girl who was placed in their home with more and determine their true emotions to understand where they’re
emotional needs than expected. The couple described her as having coming from.”
multiple emotional problems. However, they seized an opportunity
to help her win a small victory to build up her confidence.

Sabrina Pittman went with her two boys (one bio, one foster) said , “It was great. The boys had a great
time. They enjoyed the water park, dinner at Zehnder’s restaurant and fun in the arcade.”
May’s Foster Care Awareness

Month Concludes with a ‘Splash’

In May Samaritas celebrated the lives of foster parents to help make
families whole again. This year we added a contest offered to benefit
foster families that needed a break. Eligible Samaritas clients submitted
stories about their foster care journey, and the stories with the most
Facebook likes were featured throughout May.

All of the stories were touching, but Sabrina
Pittman’s foster story received stood out above
the rest. As the winner of the contest, she and
her family enjoyed an all-expense paid stay at
Zehnder’s Zehnder’s Hotel & Waterparks in
Frankenmuth, Michigan.
Thanks to a grant from the Ticket to Dream Family Preservation
Foundation and the kind staff of Zehnder’s Enhanced Treatment
the Pittman’s had a great time! To become a Reunification
foster parent or learn how you can financially, Foster Care
support families in need, visit Adoption
samaritas.org/foster-care.
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