Meet the Zerr Family!
“Families need support and training before, during, and after the adoption process….”
Bob and Kathy Zerr are the proud parents of seven delightful and talented children. Five daughters, ages 14, 14, 13, 12, 11, and two sons, ages 9 and 7, fill the home with laughter, song, dance, sports interests, and academic undertakings. When asked about their family, the Zerrs cannot find enough good to say about each child. These parents clearly focus on strengths and positive attributes. Here are some snippets from their description:
Fourteen-year-old Denise enjoys a rich social life, participating in dance class and show choir. Known for a caring attitude and great sense of humor, Kierra, also age fourteen, is involved in dance, band, and coaching a volleyball team. When not busy with reading, tennis, or dance lessons, thirteen-year-old Ashley offers to help in any situation. She is a favorite teacher of younger children at her church’s after-school program. Twelve-year-old Caragh always has a smile on her face and looks forward to any new adventure. She likes to play tennis and tap dance. Youngest sister Courtney, age eleven, helps around the house, likes to dance, and excels in school, where she is in an honors program. Nine-year-old Richard has many interests typical of boys his age. He enjoys playing sports, and also likes to draw. JaQuann, age seven, loves to smile and play sports. He enjoys being the "baby" of the family with so many sisters to spoil him.
Only one of the Zerr children was born into the family; the other six came through the foster care system, with several having been “in and out” of foster care starting at young ages. Due to their earlier situations, these children have faced special challenges. Their parents are steadfastly helping them to heal from past hurts, to form trusting, cooperative relationships, to increase their abilities to focus, to master acceptable behavior, and to address learning difficulties. Bob and Kathy appreciate their monthly post-adoption subsidy and the continuation of Medicaid eligibility, which enables them to properly care for their large family. They have been disappointed, however, in the lack of support other than financial, feeling a bit deserted by agencies once the adoptions were finalized.
Bob and Kathy ask members of Congress to mandate ongoing post-adoption services: “Families need support and training before, during, and after the adoption process. Although most families go into this process wanting to do something good for the children, many times it ends up hurting the family and the child because these children have issues most families are not capable of dealing with. These families will need support for many years after the adoptions are finalized.”
All the Zerrs treasure the diversity that adoption has brought to their family. With children of Caucasian, Native American, and Black backgrounds, and with five girls only three years apart, the Zerrs are often asked if they are a sports team or church group. Instead of becoming offended, Mrs. Zerr uses each such encounter as an opportunity to educate others about adoption from foster care.
Advocating for foster children still awaiting families of their own is a strong passion in the Zerr household.
2009 Portrait Project- Representative Tim Johnson
