SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah Foster Care Foundation is hoping a new ad campaign with stories of real foster kids will get more foster families involved.
Last year, 2,700 children in Utah were in need of foster care.
There are 1,300 foster families in the state, but there are still more kids in need of a loving family. The foundation hopes a new ad campaign that shares real stories of foster kids will persuade more Utahns to become foster families.
There will be posters, billboards and ads appearing on social media sites and movie theater screens highlighting how foster care changes lives.
"When a Utah family hears from another Utah family that they can relate to; they're foster parents and they see that they look like us, they have a family that may look a little different than ours but that's okay and maybe I can do what they're doing," said Deborah Lindner with the Utah Foster Care Foundation.
Kimberly and Rob Gerlach are among the real foster families whose stories will be shared. They've adopted four kids - two teen boys and two young girls - including Ekum, who now has a permanent home.
"All I ever wanted in my life was love from a family," Ekum said.
Foster families are provided training, undergo a background check and get a monthly financial reimbursement.
For more on the Utah Foster Care Foundation, visit www.utahfostercare.org.
