Krisy, Mark and Tiffany are siblings who need a permanent home.
Krisy was born Jan. 5, 1986. She is a talented artist who enjoys drawing. Swimming, gymnastics, Nintendo and Disney movies also interest her, and she likes to play act and dress up in old clothes and makeup.Krisy takes pride in her appearance and takes good care of her room and clothes. She helps cook and clean and will work especially hard to earn extra money. Although she's shy with new people, she makes friends easily and is fun to be around.
As a fourth-grader, Krisy is behind in reading and will be tested for special education services. She doesn't like school, but her foster mother says she tries hard and has made progress. She uses an inhaler daily for asthma and receives breathing treatments twice a week.
Counseling is helping her learn better coping skills. She sometimes manipulates other children, has a short temper and can be aggressive. She has had some incidences of fighting and shoplifting, although those have decreased in her current foster home.
Mark, born Aug. 1, 1984, is the peacemaker in his family. However, the effects of abuse and neglect have made parenting him a challenge. His most recent foster parents were unable to help him with many of his emotional and behavioral problems, so he's been living at a residential center where he gets intensive therapy. He is making progress and can have weekend visits with his foster family, who enjoy having him in their home.
Mark is a bright child and is doing well in fifth grade at the campus school. Medication helps control depression and oppositional defiant disorder. Although he seems to want to be like everyone else, he has been physically and verbally aggressive and has run away when things weren't going his way. Despite his problems, his foster mom says, "Mark is wonderful, kind sensitive . . . A good child who is having a tough time dealing with life."
Tiffany was born Nov. 13, 1981. She likes to listen to the radio, dance, hang out with friends, shop and eat out. She enjoys swimming, gymnastics, basketball, football and soccer. Tiffany is friendly, cooperative and caring, and dreams of being a doctor. Science is her favorite class at school.
Tiffany has been receiving individual therapy and substance-abuse counseling at a residential center since February 1995. Although she's a bright young lady, she's working at a sixth- or seventh-grade level. She was prenatally exposed to drugs and has a history of asthma, knee problems, insomnia, sleepwalking, anxiety and depression.
These children have been in numerous placements with relatives or foster families since August 1986. Most of the moves had nothing to do with their behavior. Ongoing therapy will undoubtedly be necessary for all of them.
Krisy, Mark and Tiffany need a loving, stable family who can provide consistency, patience and care in helping them deal with the challenges life has dealt them. Although they haven't been able to live together for several years, they are adamant about being placed together. Each has important people from their past with whom they wish to stay in touch.
Financial assistance is available.