“Back in 2008, my wife and I decided we wanted to be foster parents after some folks that we went to church with had foster children and we saw the impact that they had on their lives,” Toby said. “We watched these kids just blossom with this positive reinforcement, so we decided to get certified and that we would go into foster care.”
Not long later, Toby says, his family decided to foster Aaron and his two siblings.
“We already had two biological children. So our little family of four quickly became a family of seven.”
Three years later, Toby and his family adopted all three of the children they had fostered.
“They had been with us for three years and we couldn’t have imagined them going anywhere else,” Toby said. “We loved them. They loved us. So we talked to the kids about it and we decided that we were going to adopt.
“This has been an incredible story for our family. We’re big proponents of foster care. We think that parents really can make a difference.”
Aaron added, “I wanted to encourage the kids who are in the foster care system to set high goals for themselves and to do what they can to reach those goals. I always say that, if life pushes you, just push back and get through the adversity in life and reach those goals that you have set for yourself. I’m proof that you can do that. I am graduating high school and I’ve enlisted in the United States Air Force.”
“This young man is on his way. He is choosing a career in the military to protect us all,” Gov. Justice said. “We can never thank him and honor him enough for what he’s doing for all of us, and it’s all been made possible by a great family and our great foster care system. For this man to step up with his family, think about the level of courage and faith it takes to make that decision to step up and do that. It’s God’s work.”
“We’re here to thank you, Governor, Secretary Crouch, and all the fine folks who work at DHHR,” Toby added. “We’ve met so many families just like ours. There are so many stories like ours that people never hear about. You always hear about the ones who kind of fall through the cracks, but you never hear about the real positive stories where people are making a difference and, without the people that you have on your team and without your leadership, this wouldn’t happen.
“Our hope is that many of those families, when given the opportunity, will find adoption. We were worried about that. We had three kids that we were going to have to adopt. We were thinking, ‘How can we afford that?’ But we talked to the DHHR about it and they were able to help guide us through that process, help us find funding, and it all worked out.”
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To learn more about becoming a foster parent, contact Mission WV online at www.missionwv.org or by calling 304-512-0555.
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SALARY INCREASES APPROVED FOR DIRECT SERVICES EMPLOYEES UNDER DHHR’S BUREAU FOR SOCIAL SERVICES
Also on Thursday, Gov. Justice announced that he has approved 15% salary increases for direct services employees of the West Virginia DHHR’s Bureau for Social Services.
The increases are anticipated to be effective on June 18.
“I told you we’d get this done and we got it done without spending any excess money,” Gov. Justice said. “I always say we need to mind the store and we’ve done it the right way. As a result, we’re now able to compensate these people that are doing incredible work. I appreciate all the great work by Secretary Crouch and so many people at DHHR that have put in a lot of good licks on this.”
The Governor went on to say that plans are also in the works to publish a child welfare dashboard on June 1, showing information on CPS placements, referrals, and workloads, as well as other important information.
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FOR 7TH STRAIGHT MONTH, WEST VIRGINIA BREAKS STATE RECORD FOR LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE EVER
Additionally, Gov. Justice discussed his announcement from Wednesday that – for the 7th consecutive month – West Virginia has set a new all-time record for the lowest unemployment rate recorded in state history, posting a 3.6% seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April 2022.
The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has now decreased every month for two years straight – a total of 24 consecutive months.
Click here to read more
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Gov. Justice’s Job Jumpstart Program (JJP), which provides a one-time, $1,500 payment to eligible West Virginians who get a new job and remain employed for at least eight weeks, has further incentivized many West Virginians who have not had a job for an extended period of time to return to the workforce.
The Governor provided an update on the JJP Thursday, announcing that over 15,900 West Virginians have now been approved to participate in the program.
“I’m absolutely just so proud of what we’re doing in West Virginia. It’s off the chart. We need to toot our own horn,” Gov. Justice said. “We’re a long ways from finished. I’ve got as much enthusiasm and as much fire in me as I’ve ever had. I want to try to get our unemployment rate even lower and set another record next month. I want to keep making it even better, over and over for decades to come, so we can bring more and more opportunities for the great people of our great state.”
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SENECA SKYWAY DEBUTED AS FIRST ROUTE OF NEW WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAIN RIDES PROGRAM
Gov. Justice also took time to recap his visit to Lewisburg Tuesday, where he announced that a scenic loop of US Route 219 and WV Route 92 – newly named the Seneca Skyway – has officially been designated as the first route of the West Virginia Mountain Rides program.
The new program is a collaborative partnership between the West Virginia Department of Transportation and the West Virginia Department of Tourism to designate and promote the state’s most scenic country roads to drive by car or motorcycle.
Seneca Skyway starts in Lewisburg, spanning through the Potomac Highlands as far north as Tucker County before returning to Lewisburg, making for a smooth and easy loop for riders. The entire route traverses nearly 300 miles of winding country roads and can be completed within a little over a six-hour round trip drive.
Click here to read more
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WEST VIRGINIA BIRTHDAY CAKE CONTEST
Additionally, Gov. Justice echoed an announcement by First Lady Cathy Justice on Wednesday that she is hosting a West Virginia Birthday Cake Contest in honor of the state’s 159th birthday.
West Virginia residents are invited to create and submit an original cake recipe. One recipe will be chosen and designated the official West Virginia birthday cake, served every year on June 20th to celebrate the anniversary of West Virginia’s statehood.
The deadline for submissions is June 7, 2022.
Click here to read more & submit your cake recipe
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