Georgina Stewart is the type of mother any child would be proud to have. As she talks to her case manager, she expresses her excitement about taking her foster teens shopping to buy clothes for the holiday parties they’ll be attending with her.
For 13 years, Georgina has been a hands-on foster mom who truly enjoys fostering teen girls through Catholic Charities’ Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) program. The URM program licenses and trains foster homes to care for foreign-born children who are in the U.S. without a legal guardian. It also assists with legal aid, healthcare, counseling and case management to help create a supportive environment for unaccompanied minors and their foster families.
Georgina is a native of Mexico and worked as a flight attendant for Air Mexico for many years. She has lived in the U.S. for over 20 years and recently retired from working in the Washington School District.
Taking on a New Type of Motherly Role
Her journey as a foster mom began when her biological daughter was 19 years old. Georgina loved being a mom and decided she wanted to continue to provide love and care to youth who needed it. “I couldn’t have more than one child, so this is my way of taking care of kids and being a mother figure to kids who are not mine biologically,” she said.
She connected with and found a passion in the URM program. Her Hispanic heritage helps her understand and relate to girls in the program who are coming from Guatemala, El Salvador and other Latin American countries. Georgina’s ability to speak Spanish is comforting to many of the girls, who often arrive knowing little English.
Creating a Sense of Normalcy for Unaccompanied Minors
She helps them feel more at home by cooking their native dishes, such as enchiladas, chilaquiles and tamales. The girls usually make the tortillas, which is another way for Georgina to bond with them and listen to their joys and struggles as they navigate a new life in the U.S.
When her girls need extra support at school, Georgina advocates for their best interests. She makes sure to communicate with their teachers about tutoring or whatever assistance they may need. She wants to see them succeed in whatever they choose to do in the future.
“I can’t imagine just living by myself; it would be very quiet and lonely. They keep me company and keep me occupied,” said Georgina.
Be Part of the Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program
If Georgina’s story inspired you, we are always looking for loving foster parents to work with our URM program. You can read more about the program to see if you may be a good fit.
