Johnson Family for Foster Together MN

Watch Our Family's Story on The Reel Hope Project: https://www.thereelhopeproject.org/swim-upstream-wrap-around

Our story: 

One little guy, N, was with us for nearly a year and will forever hold a piece of our hearts. We picked him up at the hospital when he was just two days old, and from the very start, he captured our hearts. Ambrose and Zoe embraced him as their baby brother, Jared and I stepped into the sleepless nights and newborn snuggles, and we all felt our family growing. Not just with N, but with his parents as well. We began communicating through a journal at visits, then video calls, and eventually in-person visits. When N moved to his adoptive family, we felt deep grief, but we trusted God’s plan. Today, we visit him and his family every year, watching him grow surrounded by love, including alongside two of his biological brothers.

While our family no longer fosters children, our experience with N—and with all the children who have passed through our home—stays with us and shapes how we pour into other foster families. We remember the nights we felt isolated and alone, the days filled with appointments, court hearings, and caring for multiple children. Those experiences fuel our mission to ensure no foster family feels unsupported.

Our journey began in 2009, when we dreamed of fostering one day. In 2019, just after the birth of our second child, the call to foster care became impossible to ignore. It appeared in church, social media, conversations with loved ones, and our prayers. Despite the overwhelming timing, we decided to take it one step at a time.

Attending an informational session opened our eyes to the urgent need for foster homes in our community. What followed were months of paperwork, training, home inspections, and learning the realities of trauma and the child welfare system. We also realized how isolating foster care can be—more than 50% of homes close in the first year due to a lack of support.

This inspired us to create change. In October 2021, Micayla, with Jared’s support, founded Foster Together MN. With the help of our Board, volunteers, business partners, and supporters, the organization has grown rapidly. Today, we serve over 400 families, host 40+ events annually, and have distributed 27,000+ items to nearly 1,400 youth in foster care through our resource center, Abundant Goods.

As our work grows, sustainable funding is essential. Every donation, big or small, helps foster families feel seen, supported, and less alone. Please consider joining us in this mission—it’s a chance to make a lasting difference for families like ours and children like N.