Adoption Day features 'empty nester' who refilled house with foster kids

WARREN

Kim Anderson of Liberty says reaching her 50s with two grown children who no longer lived at home was no reason to think about retirement or being alone.

So began “Life Part 2,” Anderson said.

So she went to Youngstown State University and earned a social work degree, then a job for Summit County Children Services and started serving as a foster parent through Trumbull County Children Services.

Over the past seven years, she has served a foster parent to 20 children.

“My kids moved out, and I thought ‘I need to fill this big house back up,’” she said. “Maybe it’s being single, but your life needs more purpose.”

She wasn’t thinking about adopting a child initially, but other foster parents advised her that she should become part of the foster-to-adopt program just in case she changed her mind.

“You never know what child will come up for adoption,” she said.

Then two years ago, she became foster parent to Jerry, only 3 months old, who weighed just 8 pounds.

“He is so laid back, easy going, funny,” Kim said of the boy, who she adopted Friday during Adoption Day at the Trumbull County Courthouse. “He fit into the family. He belonged there.”

Read more about the day's events in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.