Utah Foster Care Foundation Press Release
On Saturday, June 14, Utah Foster Care honored five outstanding foster dads from around the state. Local foster parent Ben Baldonado was honored with one of the awards, which was handed out during the 12th Annual Chalk Art Festival in Salt Lake City.
Each year, Utah Foster Care honors five foster dads from around the state. These men made the commitment, along with their spouses, to care for these vulnerable children.
These dads are truly inspiring. They are men who become fathers to children who may have never known a father. They are Utah foster fathers.
“It’s a fitting tribute to these dads on Fathers Day weekend,” said Nikki Mackay, Director of Foster Family Retention for Utah Foster Care. “They have made the commitment, along with their spouses, to care for children who have been neglected or abused.”
Every 14 minutes a report of child abuse or neglect is made to the Utah Division of Child and Family Services. That means every hour, there will be four calls made to DCFS because someone suspects a child is in danger.
If a child is found to be living in an unsafe environment, a foster home is sometimes the safest place to call home. That is where foster families, trained by Utah Foster Care and licensed by the state of Utah, enter a child’s life.
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- Ben Baldonado is recognized for being an outstanding foster care father.
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- Recipients of this year’s Utah Foster Care Outstanding Father award.
