All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

Fostering Hope open house seeks to dispel myths, answer questions about foster care and adoption

BUCKHANNON – With there being roughly 7,000 children in foster care across West Virginia and only over 1,300 open homes, Upshur County Family Resource Network executive director Lori Uldrich Harvey says those numbers don’t exactly add up.

The discrepancy between the number of children who need homes and homes available is glaring, Harvey said.

With this notion in mind and a large public response following an adoption awareness proclamation, Harvey began working with Mission West Virginia to host a Foster Care Open House back in April of 2018.

“In November 2017, I held an Adoption Awareness Month proclamation. It was placed and shared repeatedly on social media resulting in over 70 individual contacts to our office, let alone how many Mission WV received,” she explained further.

With a “spectacular” turnout and an uptick in the number of open homes in Upshur County following the open house, a second open house was held in November of 2018. However, due to the holidays, Harvey said attendance was down, but there seemed to be just as much interest.

On May 7 – yes, this Tuesday – Harvey and the folks at UCFRN will be hosting another open house – Fostering Hope. The open house will not only have the foster agencies available for questions and information, but support groups like WIC, West Virginia Birth to Three, etc. will also be available.

While some people might feel intimidated by or hesitant about the process of fostering and adoption, Harvey wants potential foster parents to know it’s not as difficult as it may seem.

“Many people are hesitant about the foster process because they don’t have much of an idea of what it entails,” she said. “There is training and home visits and such before the certification, but it is not as difficult as some people believe it to be.”

“My honest opinion, as a foster parent myself, is for those who are wondering to gather all of the information possible but to also get in touch with other foster families because they have been through it and can give you the live picture rather than just general information,” Harvey continued, adding seeking support from agencies can lead to a great support network.

For some, it’s not so much the process, but rather the misconception that these children are “damaged” or “bad” when the majority are in foster care not by their own choosing, Harvey said.

“We need to realize children have dignity and the need for loving families as well just as any biological child,” Harvey said.

Bringing awareness, information and support about the foster care crisis has become one of the main missions of the UCFRN for now because it has become an epidemic in the Mountain State.

“There are too many myths and not enough truths circulating, and we need to break down that information into correct pieces,” she said.

The open house will be from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, May 7 at the Public Safety Complex.
Currently, the UCFRN is working with the Upshur County Senior Center and the Healthy Grandfamilies program because there is large population of grandparents who are raising grandchildren and need updated information and support.

Also, looking ahead, Harvey said the UCFRN will be kicking off a foster/adopt support group in June, but details will be released at a later date.

Share this story:

Local Businesses

RECENT Stories

Upshur County Commission partners with development authority, eyes $550k in grants for proposed rec hub

The Upshur County Commission partnered with the Development Authority and authorized applications for $550,000 in grants, as well as a joint property transfer, to support construction of the proposed John C. Allen Regional Hub recreation complex.

High Point Construction takes over lead in men’s golf league

High Point Construction took the top spot in the Buckhannon Country Club Bob Cupp Memorial Golf League after defeating Sam’s Pizza, while Highland Landscaping and Feola’s Flowers tied for second place.

Task force arrests three for selling Delta 8 to people under age 21, issues four additional warrants

After a year-long investigation, the Mountain Region Drug and Violent Crime Task Force arrested multiple individuals and issued warrants in Upshur County for allegedly selling Delta 8 THC products to individuals under 21.

ATV crash kills 65-year-old woman in Upshur County

Patricia L. Campbell, 65, of Ohio, died after being ejected from an ATV rollover crash in Upshur County on July 4; the investigation continues.

Willard Hampton Rice, Jr.

Willard Hampton Rice, Jr., 84, of Sandusky, a retired Ford Motor Company employee who enjoyed hunting and spending time with family, passed away July 3 and is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren.

Buckhannon Banter: Get the local lowdown for July 2, 2025

This week in Buckhannon, local organizations plan events and clinics — including a big July 4th celebration — and several community initiatives aim to engage residents of all ages.

Emergency agencies stress need for coordinated incident plans during large events with road closures

Emergency officials emphasized the need for incident action plans and coordination with public safety agencies for large events that close major streets, citing upcoming car shows and other street-closure events to ensure fast, safe emergency responses.
BUHS Sports

B-U now in Class AAAA in all sports; moved to new South Region after WVSSAC restructuring

Buckhannon-Upshur High School will compete in Class AAAA — the highest division — for all sports and has been moved to the new South Region under a two-year realignment by the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission.

Stockert Youth and Community Center Board Meeting Agenda: July 3, 2025

The Stockert Youth and Community Center Board will meet July 3, 2025, with an agenda set to discuss organizational matters and upcoming events.