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Licensed to Love

Licensed to Love

By: Families Thrive Inc
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 What does it really take to open your home—and your heart—to a child in foster care? Licensed to Love is the podcast for future foster and adoptive parents who want to understand the foster care system, build trauma-informed parenting skills, and create safe, loving homes for children who need them most. New episodes every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month on the JazzCast Pros Network. Hosted by Lauri and Veronica—directors at Families Thrive Inc., a leading foster care and adoption agency in Rochester, New York—each episode blends real stories from foster youth, birth families, and licensed caregivers with expert guidance drawn from decades of experience helping children find permanent, loving homes. Topics Include: ✅ How to become a licensed foster parent in New York ✅ What to expect during your home study and training ✅ Supporting teens and keeping sibling groups together ✅ The truth about family reunification and the Families First Act ✅ Navigating trauma, grief, and resilience ✅ Preparing youth for adulthood and aging out of the system Whether you’re just starting to explore foster parenting, deep in the licensing process, or preparing for adoption, Licensed to Love gives you the tools, encouragement, and clarity to say yes—with heart and confidence. Because love isn’t just a feeling—it’s a commitment. And every child deserves a place to belong. About Families Thrive Inc. Based in Rochester, NY, Families Thrive recruits foster and adoptive families for children in the foster care system ages 0 to 21. We place referred children in a loving home temporarily with a goal to return to a family member. When children cannot return or are waiting for a family, we provide pre-to-post adoption services and work closely with families through the entire process. Families Thrive offers services and training to our families and skill-building to the children. We host a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiter on staff to find resources for children waiting for a family. With two sites in Rochester and the Finger Lakes, our mission is always to provide children with a kin family connection or find a permanent loving place to belong. Donate at: https://givebutter.com/FamiliesThriveDonation Connect with us on Social Media Instagram Facebook Families Thrive, Inc,| LinkedIn Music from #Uppbeat⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/evoli/vancouver ⁠ License code: OP7TONLRWONEVAYDJazzCast Pros 2025 Parenting & Families Relationships Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Home for the Holidays: Fostering Belonging During the Season

    Home for the Holidays: Fostering Belonging During the Season
    Oct 31 2025
    Ep. 3 The holidays are supposed to be magical—but for foster children, they can also be complicated and emotional. In this heartfelt episode of Licensed to Love, hosts Lauri McKnight and Veronica Black of Families Thrive unpack the emotional landscape of the holiday season for children in foster care. With some insights from current foster parents, they explore how to navigate holiday triggers, maintain healthy ties with biological families, and create new traditions that help kids feel seen and secure. ✨ What You’ll Learn: Why holidays can bring mixed emotions for foster children How small gestures—like shared traditions or inclusive conversations—can nurture belonging Ways to honor biological family connections while building new memories The importance of community support and awareness during the season This episode reminds us that while gifts and gatherings may fade, the feeling of being loved and included lasts forever. 🔗 Resources: Celebrate foster and adoptive families at the Families Thrive Heart & Home Gala — November 1st at 6 PM at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center. Reserve your seat today at 👉 ⁠www.familiesthriveinc.org Chapters: 0:00 Holiday Challenges for Foster Families 3:39 When Holidays Feel Different in Foster Care 12:20 Handling Emotional Triggers During the Season 16:59 Joys and Struggles of Holiday Parenting 19:56 Blending Traditions and Family Connections 21:29 Navigating Cultural Differences at the Holidays 28:18 Community Support That Makes the Season Bright Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    40 mins
  • Why I Said Yes to Being a Single Foster Parent

    Why I Said Yes to Being a Single Foster Parent
    Oct 18 2025
    Ep. 2 For Monique Burney, the desire to become a foster mom came from personal experience—she grew up in foster care herself and understood the power of keeping siblings together. What she didn’t know was whether she qualified to do it on her own as a single parent. In this heartfelt episode of Licensed to Love, Monique shares how her path to fostering began with that question—and how a conversation with Families Thrive’s Director of Program Services, Veronica Black, helped her see that love, patience, and stability are what truly make a family. Joined by Executive Director Lauri McKnight, Veronica also breaks down the first steps of the foster care journey, explaining what to expect at an informational meeting, what the training process involves, and the biggest myths they work to debunk every day. 🎟️ Join the Movement: Celebrate foster and adoptive families at the Families Thrive Heart & Home Gala — November 1st at 6 PM at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center. Reserve your seat today at 👉 ⁠www.familiesthriveinc.org⁠ 💛 Key Takeaways: What really happens at an informational meeting The training process for becoming a foster or adoptive parent How Families Thrive matches children with foster families The truth about single, same-sex, or non-traditional foster parents How love and structure can change a child’s life Chapters: 0:00 Why I Said Yes to Becoming a Single Foster Parent 4:21 The Informational Meeting 7:02 Holistic Foster Placement: Matching Child Needs With Family Dynamics 10:23 Investing in Their Future 16:18 Blessings and Challenges of Foster Care 22:17 Fears and Misconceptions in Foster Parenting 24:34 Families Thrive Provides Comprehensive Support for Foster Parents 28:38 Fostering Journeys: Challenges, Commitments, and Transformations 34:54 Impact of Nurturing and Building Relationships on Children 39:57 Heart & Home Gala November 1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    42 mins
  • Connecting Foster Children with Adoptive Parents Since 1972

    Connecting Foster Children with Adoptive Parents Since 1972
    Aug 29 2025
    Ep. 1 In this debut episode of License to Love, hosts Lauri McKnight (Executive Director) and Veronica Black (Director of Program Services) of Families Thrive share the inspiring journey of how their organization evolved from Children Awaiting Parents into a comprehensive foster care and adoption agency. With decades of combined experience, Lauri and Veronica open the door to what fostering and adoption look like in New York State today. From advocating for sibling groups and minority children to creating support models that nurture both kids and families, their work continues to transform lives and communities. ✨ Key Takeaways Families Thrive has expanded from an adoption exchange into a licensed foster care and adoption agency. The organization pioneered visibility for children in care through resources like the CAT book, which inspired NY State’s Blue Book. Their approach focuses on family strengths and children’s needs—never just “bed availability.” Innovative support programs like coach visitation and family team meetings help families succeed long term. 💬 Notable Quotes “Our mission is to demystify the process of gaining your license to foster or adopt in New York State.” – Lauri McKnight “Families Thrive is not just about putting kids in homes; it's about creating safe, nurturing environments.” – Veronica Black 🔗 Resources 🌐 FamiliesThrive.org 💙 Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Program: https://www.davethomasfoundation.org/how-we-help/wendys-wonderful-kids/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    17 mins
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