My City June 2021

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VOLUNTEERS PACK HUNDREDS OF “FIRST NIGHT” BAGS WITH ITEMS LIKE BLANKETS FROM DONORS (BELOW).

THE KROMERS’ EXPERIENCE WITH CLARA INSPIRED THEM TO HELP OTHER ADOPTIVE AND FOSTER FAMILIES.

In 2012, the Kromers ad opted a baby girl named Clara who was medical ly fragile. “She had a terminal condi tion, hydranencephaly,” Kromer shares. “Clara was born without a brain.” They decided to pursue adopting her. “When we made it public, people came out of the woodwork to help us,” she remembers. “Within 24 hours, her adoption was paid for.” And, many people came to provide support, clean ing their house and running errands. While Clara lived only eight months and eight days and passed away on April 6, 2013, the Kromers were grateful for all the help they received. “We wanted to give other people the support we had received. Clara’s Hope came out of our story.” Kromer says that Clara’s Hope is the only organization in the area that offers this type of service. The team includes a full-time social worker who helps parents navigate court proceed ings, explain paperwork and provide individual support to families through the ups and downs of foster care and

adoption. “Our Program Coordina tor, Erin Deale, is the driving force behind our success. She helps families manage the new dynamics that are in place,” Kromer states. “Things come up because of past traumatic situa tions, so we work with the entire fam ily, as well as the foster child.” Clara’s Hope provides trauma training to individuals, churches and schools, and works to connect the community to the needs of foster and adoptive families so that they aren’t walking through it alone. “We “Clara’s Hope came out of our story. I love what I do.” Tami Kromer

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