ORLANDO, Fla. — May is National Foster Care Month. And the need for foster families in Central Florida is great.

  • Holly Chad had 13 foster children in their home in a span of a year
  • They reveal their first reaction to having a foster child in their home

Foster parents Holly and Chad know how crazy life can get when you foster multiple kids.

They have two biological kids, twins Grant and McKinley.

5 Steps to Being a Foster Parent
 
If you are ever looking to help the foster situation in Central Florida, there are five prerequisites for becoming a foster parent.

  • You must attend an orientation.

  • Complete 20 to 30 hours of training.

  • Have a background check.

  • Participate in a home inspection and a home study.

The other four kids in their home right now are foster children. And these children are not the only kids they have welcomed into their home.

"We've had 13 foster kids through our door in the span of a year," Chad said.

Often, these parents only get an hour's notice when a child coming who had to be removed from their home.

And it can happen in the middle of the night.

"I remember our first placement, they handed me this kid in the driveway, and they said, 'Okay, good luck!' And I was standing in the driveway at 3 in the morning and I was holding this kid and I literally had like tears coming down my face because I am in charge of another human who has been hurt, you know?" Holly said.

However, for Holly and Chad, the reward of fostering kids who have nowhere else to go, is well worth the chaos.

"And after the first big hug that you get or the first kiss on the cheek or first laugh that you hear coming out from the playroom, it like touches your heart like, Oh my goodness, this makes me feel good,'" Chad said.

And if you think it is tough for their biological kids, think again.

"I never want to stop, never!" Grant said.

Grant and McKinley say it is like having 13 other brothers and sisters.

"It just feels like they're all our siblings." McKinley said.

The non-profit Embrace Families says they have around 2,600 kids in foster care in Central Florida right now.

And that number can change daily.

However, even if you are not ready to take in children, Holly and Chad say just being there for a foster family can make a world of difference.

"We're running around juggling babies and changing diapers and somebody says, 'Here, we brought you food' and it's like, 'Oh my goodness, that's amazing' and that can be your contribution to foster care," Chad explained.

If you want to learn more about becoming a foster family or helping a foster family out, you can go to this website.