SAN ANTONIO – The saying goes, "There's no place like home." But tens of thousands of Texas children have no idea what that means.
My new series called "Hope for a Home" introduces you to kids who, every day, hope someone out there will find room for them in their homes and hearts.
They're not statistics or pieces of legislation or political issues, they're children.
I hope our stories help these kids find a forever family. "Hope for a Home" will air on KSAT 12 News at 6 p.m.
Meet 12-year-old Javantae
Sitting in a dugout on a baseball field at Harlandale Park, 12 year old Javantae opens up about the one thing he’s so deeply, desperately dreaming of: a family.
Underneath his confident, infectious, bright smile- and an equally bright and cheerful pink button down shirt- Javantae said he was nervous.
“But I gotta do what I gotta do,” he said of our interview.
I asked why.
“Just to get out of foster care.”
Our interview- and the purpose of the “Hope for a Home” series- isn’t about how Javantae or the thousands of kids in Texas foster care got to where they are today.
Its about getting them to where they hope to be tomorrow.
Javantae wants people to know three things about him.
He’s a helpful person, he loves to be active and he’s a good athlete.
He wants to become an NFL player one day.
“Wide receiver,” he said. “I’m pretty fast.”
Javantae scored 16 touchdowns this season.
But that big league dream can wait.
Right now, his biggest aspiration is to find a place- and people- to call home.
“Just a mother,” he said. “Or a mom and a dad.”
Javantae shares a room with other boys and changes his clothes in a bathroom to get some privacy.
The place he feels most at ease? Outside.
He longs to spend time outdoors with the forever family he hopes to find.
"Throw the ball. Barbeque,” said Javantae. “That's for a father to do, but still, a mother can do that.”
He even likes to take car rides “just to look around.”
During our chat, Javantae shared some tricks on how to use a fidget spinner.
For him, they’re not just toys, but way to calm down when he gets frustrated.
Javantae has older biological siblings. His sister visits him every now and then, telling him that his biological mother is doing well.
We don’t talk about why he doesn’t get to see her now. He can’t remember the last time that happened.
Javantae says the foster care staff members he works with are nice. One even bought him his pink shirt.
“They say its for girl's but I like it,” Javantae said. “Its my color."
But when it comes to family, for Javantae, color doesn’t matter.
"Siblings, for sure. Mother, father. Any color. Don’t matter,” he said. “I just want to be with people that will take care of me.”
If you would like to learn more about adopting Javantae or if you have general questions about how to foster or adopt a child, call 210-337-3117 or visit www.adoptchildren.org.