A huge part of the Real Life Real Music Foundation’s mission is helping children in foster care. With one of our founders, Kyle Hutton, being adopted and having recently been through fostering to adopting two young girls, the cause continues to weigh heavy on our hearts. 

A few years back, Kyle Hutton and Radney Foster decided to combine forces and write the Foster EP, which led to traveling the state performing the A Place to Stay Tour for Foster Awareness. The tour’s goal was to educate our communities on thousands of local children that need a place to stay. We’re proud to have inspired many families to foster along the way! 

 One particular family, the Murphys, started their journey with short term respite care. Their day to day lives are just as busy, if not busier than the average American family. They’re raising kids, running businesses, maintaining a marriage, and they stay involved in several local and worldwide mission efforts. Yet, the simple act of giving a foster family a vacation break changed everything for them. 

They had the same concerns every pre-foster family has. Where does the extra time come from? Where does the extra energy come from? Their days were already full with work and family time, and they didn’t want to take away any time from each other, their kids, and their activities.

 But as they came to discover, in just two weeks time, this foster child brought their family closer together than ever before. Even late at night when they’d typically be away in their own rooms, the family was together in the living room, playing and laughing. Having never experienced caring for an infant, it was a new experience for the family’s older kids!

Besides just good times, it also brought the family a fresh perspective. “Let go of your biased opinions and just do it.” Foster care is a great learning experience for children, and often gives them newfound gratitude for the safety and comfort they are blessed to experience on a day to day basis.

For the Murphys, just a few weeks of respite care changed everything for their family. Soon after, they made the decision to get certified for foster care and truly start their journey. Why? “Because we can make a difference. If it’s on your heart, just say yes. Get over your concerns of what could go wrong, because so much more could go right.”

What are you waiting for? Each foster journey is different. Start yours today!