On this episode of A Good Pour, I sat down with Anthony Potit from Foster Families Assistance Network to talk about foster care, community responsibility, and the realities many families are carrying every single day.
And honestly, there were moments during this conversation where I just wanted to pause and think, “How have we accepted this as normal?”
Because behind every statistic is a child.
A child trying to adjust to another new home.
A grandparent stretching a fixed income to care for extra children.
A foster parent wondering if they can keep going.
A teenager carrying trauma most adults would struggle to process.
Anthony has spent years walking closely with foster families. What started in his garage has grown into a resource center serving foster, kinship, and adoptive families across Middle Tennessee and beyond.
And while the organization provides clothing, diapers, toiletries, toys, and practical support, what stood out most to me was this:
They’re creating a place where families feel supported instead of isolated.
“We’re Already Under So Much Pressure”
One thing Anthony shared that really stuck with me was how overwhelming those first few days can be for foster families.
You don’t always get months to prepare.
Sometimes you get a phone call on Tuesday and children arrive on Thursday.
No nursery.
No clothing sizes.
No car seats.
No idea what the child has experienced.
Just a family saying yes.
That’s why Foster Families Assistance Network exists. Families can walk in and shop for what they need at no cost. No appointments. No pressure. No endless paperwork.
Just support.
And honestly, I kept thinking how much that matters.
When people are carrying something heavy, even removing one small burden can change everything.
Foster Care Isn’t Someone Else’s Problem
One of the hardest parts of this conversation was hearing how many people assume “the system” is handling everything.
Anthony talked openly about how many needs fall through the cracks, especially for kinship placements where grandparents or relatives suddenly become caregivers without much support.
He shared that Tennessee reports around 8,500 children in foster care on any given day, but there are tens of thousands more in kinship care situations that often go unseen.
That part hit me hard.
Because it’s easy to think these stories are distant from our own lives. But they aren’t.
These children are in our schools.
In our neighborhoods.
In our churches.
In our communities.
And if we’re honest, most of us want to help. Sometimes we just don’t know where to start.
You Don’t Have to Do Everything
One thing I appreciated so much about Anthony’s perspective was that he doesn’t believe everyone is called to become a foster parent.
But he does believe everyone can do something.
Maybe that looks like:
- Cooking dinner for a foster family once a month
- Donating toiletries or clothes
- Volunteering at an event
- Giving financially
- Offering childcare so foster parents can rest
- Helping spread awareness
- Listening without judgment
That matters.
A lot.
Because community care works best when many people carry small pieces together.
“Find Your Involvement”
Anthony said something during our conversation that I wrote down immediately:
“Find your involvement.”
I love that.
We all have different gifts, capacities, and experiences. Some people are called to foster. Some are called to advocate. Some organize. Some give. Some mentor. Some encourage.
But all of us can contribute somewhere.
And I think that’s one of the biggest takeaways from this conversation.
Good work often starts with simply noticing the need in front of us and deciding not to look away.
The Joy That Keeps People Going
Toward the end of the episode, Anthony talked about his own adopted children and the joy of watching them grow into who they were always capable of becoming.
A daughter singing in choir.
A son playing golf.
Kids who now have stability, encouragement, and support.
Not because life became easy.
But because someone stayed.
That’s the part I keep coming back to.
The power of showing up consistently.
The power of community.
The power of giving children a chance to feel safe, valued, and loved.
And maybe that’s what good work looks like sometimes.
Not solving every problem overnight.
But choosing to care enough to help carry part of the weight.
If you’d like to learn more about Foster Families Assistance Network, follow their work, volunteer, or support foster families in practical ways, I hope you will.
There’s room for all of us to help build something better together.