I have 6 sisters 5 brothers – and my parents were having difficulties raising 11 children.  Myself along with four of my brothers and sisters went into separate foster care placements when I was 13 years old.  Imagine being separated from your parents, and each other – of course something like that feels devastating.   But Orchards made the difference, they made you feel like you were a normal every day child, not just a number.  They treated everybody special.  Workers and staff kept in contact with us and made sure everyone was OK, they showed that they cared.  They eased us into the process and didn’t just throw you in – made me feel like everything would be OK, and gave me hope that they wanted to unite us with our parents back together.  With their help, we realized that was the goal, but that they made sure all of us kids would be safe before we reunited with our parents. 

The other side was that Orchards worked with our parents to teach them what they needed to do and provided support – and for our family we were able to reunite with our parents with only a short time in the system. 

Even after we went back, Orchards staff still kept in contact with our parents and make sure everything was all right – beds, food, clothing, whatever we needed.

But it didn’t just stop there.   Orchards staff and volunteers, like Fred and Barbara Goldberg, stayed in touch and helped me graduate from college, through a Sergei Federov scholarship, I was able to get a degree in supply team management and a master’s degree in vehicle design. I am proud to say I am the first in my family to graduate from college.   I now work for Lockheed Martin and I am working on a doctorate degree. 

The help of Orchards is amazing to me because it was with a lifelong goal in mind, not just a couple of months.  If you wanted more, they could help you to be more.  They wanted to help me with my dreams and help them grow and blossom.    Now I am living in Dallas and have my own family, with my 2 beautiful daughters Jordyn and Taryn – but I never forget my Orchards family and I am always grateful for their love and caring. 

- Taron

Read about the Goldberg Family who changed Taron's life>>