Kari grew up in Virginia with a large family that fostered. Her parents and grandparents were licensed foster parents. Shawn, also from Virginia, grew up in a broken home, being abandoned by his own mother at a young age. When they married in 2008, they both knew they wanted a big family and one day fostering would become part of their story. In 2020 the Head family moved to Union, SC with 2 young boys, as Shawn took a position as the pastor of a church. They knew it was time to begin fostering and that they wanted to serve children with challenges, so they began researching therapeutic licensing agencies. They found SAFY (Specialized Alternatives for Family and Youth) and have been licensed to foster for a little over a year. With the help of God, they currently care for four children with their own unique gifts and challenges, all for His honor and glory.
Fostering can be very hard emotionally and also socially, while missing their extended family in Virginia. Their new church family showed up, again and again, meeting each need while surrounding them with the love and support of a village. They showered the Heads with girl items and clothes for their first placement. Some sat outside Sunday services with fussy babies and struggling little ones to make sure Kari didn’t miss worship. Friends provided bunk beds when they needed to rearrange bedrooms for the growing family. The Heads have made several close friends who would be at their doorstep within moments when needed.
One day Kari was looking for a car seat and a friend asked if she had heard of an organization in Spartanburg, called PS I Love You. Kari drove to Spartanburg hoping for a car seat and left with a car full that day! She had no idea of the Resource Center that was available to her. Even Kari’s mom, with 30 years of foster care experience, had never encountered a ministry like PS I Love You.
Shawn has since shared their experience at PS I Love You with their church family. There are many within the congregation, who can’t foster themselves, but want to do whatever they can to help others foster. What once was a single family, loved and supported through Christ-centered community, now is being multiplied as they make plans to partner with PS I Love You. They will partner through collections of needed items for the Resource Center. They are joining the village!
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