Merlino & Gonzalez - May 2022

Aiming to Keep Them Together NONPROFIT BUILDS FREE HOMES FOR LICENSED FOSTER FAMILIES

As if living in the foster program isn’t hard enough on a child, being packed up and moved across the state — sometimes counties away from their brothers and sisters — is traumatizing. The goal is to provide children a home where they feel comfortable and safe with enough room for all siblings. Once this initial build is complete, Fostering Hopes and H3 plan

Studies show that over half of the children in foster care also have a sibling in the foster system. Of those children, more than 75% are separated. In North Carolina, Fostering Hopes joined forces with another nonprofit, H3 Collective, to build foster homes so they can keep large sibling groups

together. Some of these homes are big enough to house five children, which is usually the maximum number of children the foster system allows under one roof.

to build many more large foster homes in Western North Carolina. They’ve even made the goal of expanding into 10–15 counties in the western part of the state! “The intention is to provide hope to children who typically find themselves without it,” Alex Williams told Fox News. “We hope to keep siblings together,

Alex Williams, the founder of Fostering Hopes, explained that the need for foster homes and foster parents is so high that, many times, children are sent out of their home county. He estimates that roughly 50% of the 20,000 children in North Carolina’s foster program will be placed outside of their home county. Adam Ponder of H3 Collective was proud to announce that Fostering Hopes and H3 are currently working together on a 3,600-square-foot, five-bedroom home for a licensed foster family, and the group hopes to have it ready for occupancy this summer.

to keep children in their home communities, and to provide dedicated families or parents for

children who need them the most.”

There is no better feeling than helping children grow, thrive, and flourish. The efforts of Fostering Hopes and H3 Collective are inspiring, heartfelt, and are bound to make a difference in the lives of many children and families.

Time to Be a Movie Critic! 3 MOTION PICTURES INSPIRED BY BOOKS

We’ve all heard the saying, “The book is way better than the movie or TV show.” Movies and TV shows provide you with a great visual representation of the characters and storyline. The films are equally as good as their respective books in their own right. Here are a few films inspired by books that you should check out. ‘The Shining’ 3-Part Miniseries This is one of Stephen King’s most famous novels. There is even a much-acclaimed 1980 movie based on the book. But did you know that Stephen King directed and produced his own miniseries? The three one-hour episodes follow the book precisely and provide more information on the characters. Spoiler alert: There are no twins or garden maze in this series, but there are moving topiary hedges!

crimes alone — and they have evidence to prove it. Follow along with journalist Maury Terry as he makes his way down the rabbit holes of this case. There is more to this crime than what appeared in the media, such as cult practices and ties to other cases like Charles Manson and his family. ‘Looking for Alaska’ John Green has captured the hearts of millions of readers across the world, and now there is a movie inspired by his first novel, “Looking for Alaska.” This coming-of-age story follows a teenage boy as he searches for the meaning of life. Then, a sudden tragedy strikes, and the boy and his friends must come to terms with the event. The movie shows the emotion, grief, and love the boy deals with on his journey. Pull out your tissues for this film; it’s sure to be a tear-jerker. You don’t need to read the books first in order to watch the TV show or movie — these films can stand on their own. These are only a few of the many movies and TV shows that are based on bestselling books. Now it’s time for you to be the judge and determine if the books are, in fact, better than their films.

‘The Ultimate Evil: The Search for the Sons of Sam’ There are a lot of conspiracy theories about the Son of Sam and his crimes. Some have argued that David Berkowitz didn’t commit these

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