My City November 2022

to send him to summer school to be with his friends.”Lamar quick ly became one of the family and the DeLorenzos decided to pursue adoption. It took four frustrating years after Lamar rst came into their home to nalize the process. “Each kid has a di erent set of variables,” says DeLorenzo. “We never really doubted ourselves or the process, but we did worry about how we would handle it if Lamar were to leave us down the road.We felt that he was a part of our family.” Jayden “We didn’t really have a plan for adopting or fostering another child after Lamar,” explains DeLorenzo. “We wanted to make sure he got all the focus he needed; but then, I met Jayden.”DeLorenzo was working

The Family Today, Lamar and Jayden are thriving. “Before he lived with us, I’m not sure Jayden had ever passed a class in school and now he is on the honor roll,” states DeLorenzo proudly. “Shannon and I never thought we wouldn’t have biological kids but today, we are content with the family we have.When we started, our goal was not to adopt but to provide a safe home for the kids for as long as they needed it.”As it turns out, what the two kids needed was a family and the DeLorenzos couldn’t be happier. As a show of appreciation and to help other kids in foster care, they hope to raise $100,000 for Whaley Children’s Center through a 100-mile foot race challenge to take place in 2023. “I want to help kids in foster care and to show Jayden and Lamar that we can do the hard stu to make something great happen.” Jayden and Lamar are a success story that not many kids in foster care get to experience.Many will end up living a life of abuse, home lessness, mental health problems and sickness. One piece of advice DeLorenzo would like to give to a couple looking to become foster parents or to adopt is to not be afraid to adopt an older child. “ e av erage age of adoption is below six years of age,” he informs. “Every year a child ages, the less chance they have of being adopted. For those who age out of foster care, only 4% go onto graduate college and only 18% even graduate high school. ey truly do not need much beyond love and support. Our goal was, and still is, to keep it simple, be healthy and be as happy as possible. Don’t be scared. If you are thinking of adopting or fostering, do it. It’s the best thing in the world.” ß at Whaley Children’s Center when he bonded with then-12-year-old Jayden. At the time, they both had long hair and when Jayden asked DeLorenzo to help him put his into a bun, they became friends. “It’s funny because I was 24 at the time and so, I was only 12 years older than Jayden.We are friends, but I am also his father and I have to play that card from time to time,” he laughs. Still, when Shannon and Cody got together and talked about maybe fostering and adopting Jayden, they had to consider what that would mean for Lamar. “We de nitely prayed and thought about it but when we brought Jayden home, they got along great. Lamar really looks up to Jayden,” adds DeLorenzo. In order to adopt Jayden, Cody had to leave his job at Whaley Children’s Center and after 18 months, Jayden was o cially part of the family.

“Don’t be scared. If you are think ing of adopting or fostering, do it. It’s the best thing in the world.” Cody DeLorenzo

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