It was Christmas day three years ago when three-year-old Ozzie and five-year-old Lennie first met 10-month-old Theo, their future sibling. Ozzie and Lennie’s parents, Danielle and Grant Boultinghouse, were approved Wellroot foster parents waiting for their next placement when Grant, a Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) nurse, first met Theo at the hospital.

“We weren’t originally open to fostering a medically fragile child,” said Danielle. “We initially applied to be respite care foster parents, but over time, God changed our hearts. When Grant met Theo in the hospital, we decided to be his foster parents.”

Theo, born prematurely, had spent much of his early life in the hospital. His mother loved him but, ultimately, could not provide the care required considering his medical condition. And so, on Christmas day, baby Theo was alone in the hospital without a family.

This Christmas, however, Theo is not alone. Today, he is celebrating with his adopted brother and sister, Ozzie and Lennie. After three years of working with child welfare experts, Theo’s birth mother made the difficult decision to sign over her parental rights. Danielle and Grant, her foster care partners on this difficult journey, were ready to adopt Theo and become his forever family.

“Christmas is a special time for us,” said Danielle. “Since we met Theo on Christmas day, each Christmas is a milestone when we get to see Theo’s progress. The name, Theodore, means gift from God, and he truly is a gift to our family. While Theo has many special needs and his medical care can be overwhelming at times, he has taught our family more about God and God’s love than anyone else. My older children have learned that people are valuable, regardless of their physical abilities and everyone needs a place to call home.”

On November 1, 2022, the court hosted Theo’s adoption on Zoom. Everyone who was a part of his foster care journey joined Danielle and Grant to celebrate his official adoption into the Boultinghouse family.

If you would like to learn more about how you can become a foster care parent and provide a loving home, please visit www.wellroot.org/our-programs/foster-care or email Ebony Bethea, Recruitment Specialist, at ebethea@wellroot.org.

Immediate Need for Loving Homes

Wellroot believes in the Healing Power of Family. Wellroot envisions a world where every child is raised in a loving, compassionate, and nurturing home. Wellroot’s Foster Care program is a temporary intervention for children while their parents improve their ability to care for their children, with the primary goal of reunification with their birth family. For the children who are not able to be reunited with their biological family, Wellroot helps these children, like Anne and Bradley, find loving and stable homes. Adoption gives permanency to a child by providing them with a forever family.

Wellroot Family Services desperately needs more loving and nurturing homes for children in foster care. Currently, there are 12,000 children in foster care in Georgia, and not enough families for children like Anne and Bradley. Each week, Wellroot has to say “no” over 60 times because there are not enough foster homes. Wellroot is in immediate need for loving homes to temporarily care for children while their parents improve their ability to care for their children. The primary goal of foster care is reunification with their birth family. In Georgia, 52% of the children in foster care are reunified with their families, 23% of the children go live with relatives of guardians, and 14% of the children are adopted from foster care. For the children who are not able to be reunited with their biological family, Wellroot helps these children find loving and stable homes. Adoption gives permanency to a child by providing them with a forever family.

Will you help build happy families? Learn more about fostering at fosternow.org.

Our Residents’ Stories

“Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. Tiptoe if you must, but take a step.” This summer, we have 3 special graduations to celebrate! Read more.

We are so proud of Raekwon, ILP graduate, for his dedication to achieving his degree in banking, and graduated from Morehouse May 2022. Read more.

On September 30, 2021 two months after transitioning from our program Kiara bought her first HOME! Read more.

As a first-generation American, Grace entered TLP unsure of her future. That’s when Wellroot’s team wrapped around her and became a second family for Grace. Read more.

Maria didn’t let her circumstance become an excuse. Determined to graduate on time, with perseverance and hard work, she graduated high school. Read more.