Local couple adopts granddaughter thanks to FosterAdopt Connect
Joann and Steven Young hug their granddaughter Willow in the Ozark County courtroom last Wednesday after officially adopting the girl. They are pictured here with Judge Craig Carter, far left, who presided over the adoption hearing. Also pictured are two of the Young’s other daughters, Daytona Young, front, and Hannah Vaughn behind her, with Hannah’s husband Cole, far right, and their children Presley (in Daytona’s arms) and Evelyn.
Before presiding over a docket of various criminal cases in the Ozark County courtroom last Wednesday, Circuit Judge Craig Carter handled a much happier matter - the official adoption of sweet Willow Young by her loving grandparents, Steven and Joann Young of Gainesville.
“It was a wonderful experience,” Joann told the Times. “We’ve raised her since she was a baby. She’s always been with us. And now it’s official, and her last name matches ours.”
The Youngs say the day wouldn’t have been possible without the tremendous help they received from FosterAdopt Connect, an organization with a local presence in Gainesville.
Holly Uchtman, the local FosterAdopt Connect contact for Ozark County, said she was honored to attend the court hearing last week.
“Willow was very quick to give the thumbs up when Judge Carter asked if she was ready for the adoption to be done,” Holly said.
After the hearing concluded, the family celebrated with plenty of smiles and an after-party hosted by the FosterAdopt Connect team at their office inside the Options Pregnancy building, just off the Gainesville square.
Steven and Joann told the Times that they lived in Missouri for 47 years before moving to Colorado for seven years. A few years ago, they moved back to Missouri and settled in Gainesville. That’s when Joann began researching how to legally adopt their granddaughter, who they had raised as their own since birth. A quick Google search led her to FosterAdopt Connect.
“We had guardianship before that, but we really wanted to adopt her. We’d just hit a wall trying to do it. It had just been a nightmare,” Joann said. “Then we called FosterAdopt Connect, and they’ve been a Godsend. They were able to help us get a lawyer and worked with us through the entire process, and we didn’t have to pay anything.”
The Youngs said they are grateful to all the FosterAdopt Connect staff they’ve worked with, and they’re especially blessed for Kinship Navigator Vaneeta Gray’s guidance.
The organization connected them with legal services that provided an attorney at no cost to the family.
“I’m disabled, and we’re low-income. So, the resource of the lawyer was really just such a blessing. We’d looked into it before and were told it’d be between $5,000 and $7,000 for a lawyer. That’s a lot of money,” Steven said.
Linda McKinney of Gainesville served as guardian ad litem for Willow, representing the child’s best interests, and Karen Bates of Ava served as the attorney for Steven and Joann.
Brenda Keith, family advocate for FosterAdopt Connect, said she loves seeing stories with happy endings like the Youngs’ - a joy she understands both professionally and personally.
“I have been a foster and adoptive parent for over 19 years. I can personally relate to almost all of my clients,” she said. “As a family advocate, we guide and support families that are trying to navigate the child welfare system. This includes foster, adoptive, kinship, legal guardianship and biological parents.”
She explained that many of her clients are grandparents raising their grandchildren without involvement from Children’s Division.
“I work with these families and encourage them to find an attorney to help establish permanency for the child. This may include legal guardianship or adoption. Many of our local families are on a fixed income and don’t have the financial means to hire a lawyer. I refer them to legal services that can sometimes cover the entire cost,” she said.
FosterAdopt Connect also helps families connect with income-based resources such as free childcare, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), energy assistance, and SNAP food stamps.
“I support families by educating them and helping them understand the rules and regulations of Children’s Division. I also attend family support team meetings and court on their behalf,” she added. “I truly love helping our families in need.”
Local contact Holly said witnessing the Youngs’ adoption day was something she won’t forget.
“It was very heartwarming to see and hear all the love shared within the family,” she said. “They are very close!”
The Youngs say if there is anyone out there who is attempting to foster or adopt, they wholeheartedly encourage them to reach out to FosterAdopt Connect to see if the organization can help them too. “It is possible - if you just use the resources they provide,” Joann said. “All you have to do is open up the doors right there in front of you.”
To find out more, call FosterAdopt Connect at 417-349-3744, visit fosteradopt.org or “FosterAdopt Connect Mountain Grove” on Facebook.