If you ask Steve and Lisa Nanakorn what they were doing before 22-month-old Trinity came into their lives, you’ll get a knowing laugh and a one-word answer: sleeping.
The Nanakorns will also tell you they had been trying for 10 years to turn their twosome into a family of three or more. The now-parents of the tiny girl with the big, brown eyes decided to pursue alternatives, and after hearing about Allies for Every Child, they attended a foster and foster-adopt orientation session. By the time the meeting ended, they were ready to plunge into the transformative process.
“For me,” Lisa said, “it was a relief. We saw how wonderful everybody was; the information was amazing. We chose Allies because of that first orientation.”
Lisa and Steve enrolled in Allies’ MAPP (Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting) course, where they learned everything from understanding attachment for children in foster care to court processes, legal timelines, and how to choose a pediatrician. They left each week with no question unanswered, but were encouraged to text, call, and email staff at any hour if something arose before the next class. Almost two months later, the Nanakorns completed the process to become certified foster parents. Within several months, they had a baby girl.
