As the new year begins, many Alabamians are reflecting on how they might make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
For some families, that reflection leads to foster care and adoption — an opportunity to provide stability, love and hope to children who need it most through Kids to Love, a nonprofit serving foster children across Alabama.
That calling became personal for Jared and Rachel Pittman.
The Pittmans’ desire to adopt began years before they entered the foster care system. After beginning the adoption process in 2019, delays and setbacks eventually led them to explore foster care through Kids to Love’s training and support programs.
What started as a willingness to help, soon became a defining chapter in their family’s life.
Over the course of two years, the Pittmans welcomed five foster children into their home. In February 2023, they were asked to care for an infant boy whose biological mother needed support.
Like many foster families, they entered the situation committed to reunification if possible. When that outcome ultimately could not happen, the child — who had become family — needed a permanent home.
In July 2025, the Pittmans finalized the adoption of their son, Jaylen, expanding a family that already included their older biological child.
Throughout the journey, they say they were supported by their church community and by Kids to Love, which provided guidance, resources and encouragement whenever needs arose.
Kids to Love was founded by Lee Marshall, who was herself born into foster care and adopted as a young child. That personal experience shaped the organization’s mission to support children living in foster care — whether they are waiting for a forever family or preparing for adulthood.
Since its founding in 2004, Kids to Love has served hundreds of thousands of foster children across Alabama. The organization provides clothing, school supplies and Christmas gifts, while also operating an Alabama-licensed child placing agency.
Kids to Love also runs Davidson Farms, a foster home for girls, and the Whitaker Cottage Community, which supports young women aging out of foster care.
Its KTECH workforce training program offers hands-on education in manufacturing, robotics and technical skills, helping young adults build stable futures.
The organization’s Madison campus also houses trauma-informed counseling services, educational facilities and community support spaces designed to meet children and families where they are.
As the new year begins, the need for foster families, adoptive parents, volunteers, and supporters remains urgent. Thousands of Alabama children are still waiting for safe, stable homes and for adults willing to walk alongside them through uncertain seasons.
For those who feel that quiet pull to do something meaningful in 2026, Kids to Love offers a way to step in — whether by opening a home, giving time or supporting the mission that surrounds children with care while they wait.
More information about how to get involved is available at the Kids to Love website. For a child in foster care, one decision can change everything.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
