Category: Uncategorized

There are approximately 117,000 children in the U.S. currently waiting to be adopted. The need in Kentucky is also great, with more than 8,000 children in out-of-home care. It is fitting then, during National Adoption Month, that we highlight one of our former Sunrise foster parents who found great joy in adopting her two children.

Jen Potts, from Lexington, adopted Walker and Alonna in 2009. Back then, Sunrise was known as the Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children. At the time, Potts was a special ed teacher and Walker (known then as Geraldo) was her student. He was six, and his sister was five.

“I called several different agencies, and they (Sunrise) got back with me first, and I really liked the person that I talked to,” said Potts. “And I thought, ‘Okay!’ It was so convenient to do the classes and get going, and so I just started.”

There were special moments in her foster care and adoption journey that convinced her she made the right decision in pursuing her children. The first “God moment” came shortly before her father died. “His last words were to my son were, ‘I love you, Geraldo.’ It was just like a light beaming down there!” stated Potts.

The second moment also involved her son. As a child, Potts had picked out a name for her future son. The name was Walker Bennett. When she adopted her two children as an adult, she was told she could change Geraldo’s name if she wanted to because he seemed to have no connection to his current name. He was almost 10 years old, so Potts asked him what he wanted his name to be. He said Sky, for Luke Skywalker. “If you know my son, he is not a Sky. And so, I said, ‘What about Walker?’ And he said, ‘That is perfect!’” she shared. “The plan was to keep Geraldo as his middle name, but he wanted a family name. So, I said, ‘What about Bennett?’ which was my grandmother’s maiden name, and he said, ‘Yes!’ And I was like, how in the world did I get a child that was okay with a name I picked out as a kid?!’”

Potts said that there were many other moments like these that happened along the way that encouraged her on her decision to foster and eventually adopt. “It’s a sad story how they got here,” she shared. “But this is definitely where they’re supposed to be.”

And the journey was worth it. “It was hard, but by far, the best thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Potts said. “These are my kids! I cannot imagine life without them. They are the best things ever to happen to me.”

So how are her kids doing now? “Both of them are very successful in their lives. They are doing what they want to do,” Potts stated. “They are doing great, within their limitations of what they’ve been dealt. “

Potts can’t say enough about the support she received from Sunrise while she was a foster parent. “My worker was Kathy Castle. I could call (any of the workers) at any time, and they would get back to me. Even if it was after hours, they were always there,” she said. “I just feel like the support that is there (at Sunrise) is huge.”

Through her fostering and adoption experience, Potts has learned some important lessons that she would like to share with others. “My children still need that reassurance that they are wanted and loved even into their adulthood years,” she said. “(They need to know that) nothing’s going to change that.”

The second thing Potts want others to know is that fostering may not be easy, but the reward is great. “Basically, it’s hard. But if you can get through the hard, there is no doubt in my mind that it is worth it,” she stated. “You can’t gloss over how hard it is because you are dealing with kids with trauma. Even if they’ve come from the very best situation, they still have trauma. But if you continue to work with it, the good so much outweighs the bad.”

Jen Potts remains grateful for her family and the decision she made to choose fostering and adoption – and her decision to choose Sunrise. She encourages others to pursue Sunrise if they are considering foster care.

Today, Potts’ Sunrise worker Kathy Castle is now the foster care program director in Lexington, Elizabethtown, Mt. Washington, and Danville. If you are interested in fostering, and live in these areas, you can call Castle directly at 502-538-1039 or email her at kcastle@sunrise.org. All others can contact Sunrise at 502-538-1000 or email info@sunrise.org.

Approximately 50 people gathered outside Sunrise’s Spring Meadows Center in Mt. Washington, Kentucky on May 1 to dedicate a newly-constructed gazebo called “The Prayer Place.”

This new structure is designed for boys currently living at Spring Meadows, along with the staff and visitors, to enjoy a time of prayer and even worship, if they choose.

The gazebo was dedicated in memory of Mike Dixon, former religious life leader for Sunrise/Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children. Spring Meadows was located in Middletown, Kentucky, at the time Dixon was working at Sunrise.

Belinda Snider, current treasurer of the Spring Meadows Ladies Auxiliary, shared during the dedication program that Dixon dreamed a worship place would be constructed inside one of the buildings on Shelbyville Road in Middletown.

The Ladies Auxiliary began raising money at that time for this project. But in 2006, Spring Meadows moved to Mt. Washington, and in 2011, Dixon retired. The dream was put on hold – until just recently.

“Emmanuel Maize (current Spring Meadows program director) came up with the idea for an outdoor place for prayer,” said Snider. “We finally completed our longest-running project, being dedicated to the Lord and in memory of Mike Dixon.”

Unfortunately, Dixon would not see the completion of his dream, having passed in 2014. But his widow, Carla Dixon, attended the dedication and shared that Mike would be very thankful for an outside building that everyone could use. “Mike was an active, outside guy,” she said. “His heart was in Sunrise; he cried when he left. And he never cried!”

Fittingly, the dedication program for The Prayer Place began and ended with prayer led by Pastor Justin Walker of Salt and Light Baptist Church in LaGrange, Kentucky. “Amazing Grace” was led by worship leader Kirk Whitehouse, also from Salt and Light Baptist.

Ladies Auxiliary President Linda Bond welcomed guests to the dedication, and First Vice President Linda Morton performed the ribbon cutting, with Spring Meadows direct care counselors Latanya Germany and Stewart Haag assisting.

Maize concluded the proceedings with closing remarks. “Thanks to everyone who made this possible,” he said. “I know past auxiliary ladies are with Mike rejoicing in heaven today.”

Also in attendance were Mt. Washington Mayor Stuart Owen, Mt. Washington chief and assistant chief of the police department, Sunrise staff, and Sunrise supporters.

Special thanks to the Spring Meadows Ladies Auxiliary for raising money for this important project!

Written by Sunrise Director of Communications David Lyninger

Ricky*, age 13, and his sister, Riley*, age 11, were referred to Sunrise after they were removed from their home due to extreme neglect. They lived in seven different cities and states in the last two years. Their mother would pick up their few belongings and move every time it was discovered the children were not in school.

They often lived in their vehicle and would have short stays in homeless shelters. When they did have a home, their mother never allowed them outside, often leaving them in filthy rooms without food or appropriate clothing.

But God had a plan when they came to Western Kentucky. Accepted by an awesome set of Sunrise foster parents, it was soon discovered that these kids were significantly behind in education and in motor and social skills. The mother was heartbroken when she learned that one of the children didn’t know how to run. Each time Riley tried, it would be awkward and she would fall. Can you imagine a child not knowing how to run and play?

Ricky and Riley were loved and nurtured by this HUGE family who had several other adoptive and foster children. After being robbed of their childhood – hiding out and virtually trying to survive – they learned to laugh, play games, and discover what it means to just be children.

Ricky has learned that he loves to cook, and Riley has taken a leadership role as the oldest female child, and is often overheard giving loving advice and direction to her foster siblings. Ricky and Riley are now thriving!

They have made lifelong friends and have a wonderful support system through their foster parents, Sunrise therapist and case manager, as well as their church family. We are so thankful that God has allowed Sunrise to minister to these children and so happy this family said YES!

*Names have been changed to protect the identity of individuals.

As the coronavirus continues to be a growing concern around our world and nation, all of us at Sunrise are responding quickly and responsibly to this crisis. We are making decisions not out of fear but out of genuine love and concern for the children and families we serve. They are Why we exist – they are our mission.

We are currently restricting visitors to our residential facilities to family members only and Sunrise staff. In other ministries we will be limiting home visits while making better use of technology such as Zoom to stay connected with our hurting families and children. We will continue to monitor recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other public health agencies to keep our Sunrise children and families safe.

Many of you are wanting to know how you can help. Prayer is so critical. As we know from the Scriptures, prayer can move mountains. Specifically, pray that our children and families will be healthy. Pray that our committed team members will continue to shine hope and love to all the individuals we serve. Pray for the staff as the closure of daycares and schools has brought uncertainty to them as well.

Pray that we can do whatever is necessary to bring back normalcy to our children and families. Please join us in praying for all those in our world who have been personally impacted by this virus.

There is absolutely no doubt that the adverse economics caused by this virus will not come and go quickly. Many economists are anticipating an inevitable recession. For how long, no one really knows. The domino effect is in play and will have a negative impact on everyone – businesses, churches, individuals and, yes, Sunrise. But Sunrise has had an amazing history through tough times. Its genesis began in the aftermath of the Civil War. Subsequently, it survived the devastating influenza outbreak of 1918, two world wars, the 1930s depression, and other more recent global and national events for this one reason – to meet the needs of Kentucky’s kids. Allow me to paint a current picture of what we do so you can understand Why I am going to ask you to go above and beyond.

When Reuben Watson, one of our co-workers who is a former Sunrise ‘kid,’ stood in front of 40 young men at our Cumberland Adventure Program and told his own story of abuse endured and 13 foster homes, he was able to end his painful tale with a message of rescue, safety, and hope, that Sunrise gave him as a teenager. He shared the amazing story of Christ coming into his life when he came to Sunrise and his story of forgiveness…..he renewed my Why. One of our residents asked Reuben how he could forgive the abusers in his life. Reuben looked at the young man and said, “You are free to forgive them, you don’t have to live in fear anymore.” The young man wept as Reuben comforted him in his arms. The young man shared that he had been in foster homes since he was five and had always lived in institutional care. His experience in some of those homes is not repeatable. He did not know what normal was. He has found his place of rescue, safety, and hope at Sunrise.

Our Why is to continue to give our 111 residential young people a place to heal.
Our Why is to provide counseling to over 700 families and individuals we serve.
Our Why is to meet the needs of our 185 foster families and the kids under their care.
Our Why is celebrating over 100 adoptions and 100 children giving their hearts to Christ over the past 24 months.

Our Why is why we are asking you to give above and beyond to take care of the children and families we serve. We absolutely understand the current downturn in the economy could be devastating to our ability to continue our much-needed ministries. As an organization we are extremely concerned, which is why we are being proactive.

Why you? If not you, then who? If 5,000 people would give $25 a month or more for the next 6 months, we can continue to meet the needs of these young people and hurting families. Our Whys are the kids and families we serve- more than 1,100 of them.

Here is a link for you to give. Also, please send this link to others who would understand what we do. We need your help as we are anticipating a major shortfall of donations.

We need you to be our Why for supporting us – because you see what we are doing for Kentucky’s kids. As noted above in our history, we have always overcome and, through God’s grace, we will do so again. Why? Because of God’s love for Kentucky’s children and your response to Him who split the Red Sea and raised Christ our Savior from the dead! Doing the impossible is His specialty!

You are in our prayers,

Dale Suttles
President

Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.

Sunrise is proud to offer online information sessions and foster care trainings for anyone interested or ready to begin their foster parent journey!

On April 2, Sunrise Vice President of Marketing & Advancement Rick Burslem walked (yes, walked!) to all of our residential programs. As he passed by the treatment facilities, he chronicled his journey on social media.

His purpose in doing so was to share his support of Sunrise staff members,  to report the great work that is happening through Sunrise across this state, and to raise necessary funds that are so needed during our “new normal” in the midst of the coronavirus.

Rick Succesfully raised over 108,000 dollars for the kids at Sunrise Children’s Services. Way to Go, Rick!