The Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has selected ten families to be honored as Arkansas Foster Parents of the Year. These families were chosen from over one hundred nominations from across the state. There is one winning family for each of DCFS’ ten service areas.
DCFS will celebrate these families during a gala in May at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts. During the gala, one of the ten winners will be named the statewide Foster Parents of the Year for 2024. The awards have been given annually since 2017 to recognize and honor outstanding foster parents in Arkansas who are committed to the mission of DCFS, which is to keep children safe and strengthen families.
“Improving our state’s foster care system is one of my administration’s top goals, and nobody plays a bigger role in that than our amazing foster families,” said Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “Congratulations to this year’s area winners. By serving Arkansas’ most vulnerable young people, they are truly serving our entire state.”
In addition to the ten area winners, this year we are honoring two additional families. An Early Promise award goes to a new foster family who has already made a significant impact on the child welfare system. This year, a new award called the Perseverance award will be given to a family that has faced a challenge but continued to serve children and youth in foster care without hesitation.
“When children come into foster care because there is a safety threat, we often rely on devoted foster parents around the state to temporarily provide a loving and stable home,” said DCFS Director Tiffany Wright. “We are grateful for the sacrifices these foster parents make to serve children in need, and incredibly proud to celebrate the area winners for their selfless dedication to this important mission.”
Click here to learn more about becoming a foster parent.
2024 winners
Area 1 – Lisa Stockdale
Our Area 1 winner in northwest Arkansas, Lisa Stockdale, began her foster care journey nine years ago when she was recruited and trained by The CALL. Over that time, she has provided a safe, stable home for 37 children, from medically fragile infants like her current placement to 17-year-olds – some for as short a time as two days, while others have stayed for as long as two years. Lisa is a nurse and has worked both as a nursing instructor and as a nurse in a juvenile detention facility. Lisa is also a single mom to her sons Ethan and Isaac. One of Lisa’s hallmarks as a foster parent is her absolute commitment to what is best for the children in her care AND their original families. And Lisa is more than happy to do all of it because she knows she’s a small part of a much bigger plan. She told us, “Without my kiddos and without foster care, I would still be wandering around aimlessly looking for God’s purpose for me.”
Area 5 – Mark and Jessica McNair
Mark and Jessica McNair of Conway are the Area 5 Foster Parents of the Year, and over the past five years, they have cared for roughly ten children of various ages. They are known across their area for being fierce advocates for the kids in their home. There is no “one size fits all” approach in the McNair home. Each child is different and needs love and support in different ways. They are equally passionate about engaging the kids’ original families as often as possible.
Jessica does an amazing job at taking photos of the kids and creating photo books for the kids’ moms and dads. She doesn’t want them to miss a thing. And when the kids return home safely, Mark and Jessica stay in contact and invite the families to celebrate holidays with them or help host birthday parties for the kids. But maybe the most impressive thing about the McNair family is not what they do, but how they make you feel. One of their local staff shared, “I love the feeling I get when I visit their home. It is such a welcoming and calm space. You can’t help but leave with a positive attitude and a smile on your face.” We can’t think of a better way than that to sum up why Mark and Jessica McNair are the Area 5 Foster Parents of the Year.
Area 4 – Cassie Thomas
Cassie Thomas from Miller County in southwest Arkansas is the Area 4 Foster Parent of the Year. She has been fostering for three years now through The CALL, and she has fostered nearly 20 kids over that time. If Cassie is known for any one thing, it is the grace she extends to everyone around her. She is an unwavering advocate for the children in her care. She insists on always doing what is best for the child, even at the expense of her own plans and schedules. Agency staff love her because she is a constant support for them, handling almost all of the transportation needs for her children. And Cassie does all of this as a single mom, which makes her inspiring attitude and passion for her role as a foster parent even more impressive. We are proud to recognize Cassie Thomas as the Area 4 Foster Parent of the Year.
Area 7 – Darran and Casie Williams
As foster parents through the Connected Foster Care program with Arkansas Baptist Children’s Homes, Darran and Casie have fostered nine children already. Their first placement was a three-child sibling group, including two children with significant developmental needs. They knew that the goal was to safely return the children to their original family, so they went above and beyond to connect with and support the mother. As reunification got closer, they increased communication and contact with mom, and even personally handled the transition back into mom’s home when it was time…even though it was a 3-hour drive, one way. Now that the siblings have gone home, Darran and Casie have welcomed a teen into their home. We can’t wait to see what kind of love, support, and guidance they pour into this child as they continue their foster journey.
The two biggest placement needs in Arkansas are homes willing to accept siblings and teens. And the most important goal we have at DCFS is that children who come into foster care return home safely and quickly. In the year that Darran and Casie Williams have been foster parents in Jefferson County, they have already accomplished all three, and that’s why they are the Area 7 Foster Parents of the Year.
Area 8 – John and Angie Briggs
The Area 8 Foster Parents of the Year – John and Angie Briggs from Pocahontas in northeast Arkansas – have fostered 16 children in their five years as foster parents with the Bridge of Hope program. They have opened their home and hearts to toddlers, teens, and everything in between. Angie will tell you that children who come through their doors are loved from Day 1 as if they had been there since the day they were born. John and Angie are prepared to love, support, and guide children for as long as needed, but they welcome all types of placements – respite care, short term, and long term. John and Angie’s ability and willingness to truly invest in and connect with children of all ages and from all backgrounds is their greatest strength. Their authenticity and honesty just resonates with their kids and it’s why John and Angie Briggs are the Area 8 Foster Parents of the Year.
Early Promise Award – Ron and Wanda Day
The Early Promise Award is given to a new foster family who has already made a significant impact in their short time fostering. Our Early Promise Award winners for this year are Ron and Wanda Day from Faulkner County. They have only been foster parents for about a year, but they have already made quite an impression. They have fostered three children so far, including their current placement – a set of twins with complex medical needs. This kind of placement is tough for even seasoned foster parents, but Ron and Wanda are uniquely qualified for the job – Wanda is a registered nurse and knows exactly what to do.
We also place a high value on supporting reunification at DCFS, and the Days fully embrace that value. Their first placement was a young boy whose goal was to go back home to family, so Ron and Wanda made every effort to support the original family and prepare everyone for a successful and lasting reunification. They don’t want the family to miss a thing, and that commitment to communication and inclusion extends to their local DCFS staff as well. After every appointment, visit, or other significant moment, Wanda is on the phone with staff to update them on how things are going. Ron and Wanda are dedicated to keeping everyone in the loop and working together toward the same goal, and that is amazing to see in new foster parents. We are proud to honor Ron and Wanda Day as the winners of this year’s Early Promise Award.
Perseverance – Blake and Bryanna Irvin
A little over a year ago, on March 31, 2023, Arkansas experienced a devastating tornado outbreak. Countless homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed that day. One of those homes belonged to Blake and Bryanna Irvin and their young family in Cross County. Not only is Blake is an Arkansas State Trooper, Bryanna is a Qualified Behavioral Health Provider trainer for a local counseling provider, a champion for Connected Foster Care and Adoptions and they also happen to be foster parents.
Their home was significantly damaged in the tornado, and no one would have blamed Blake and Bryanna for pausing their life as foster parents while they processed the trauma and upheaval of that terrible day. But that didn’t happen. They knew that the kids they were fostering desperately needed to feel safe, stable, and loved, regardless of the situation. So, they found a way to carry on amid all the chaos and continue serving as foster parents. Blake and Bryanna showed their kids – and all of us – what it means to step up and do whatever it takes for those who need us. In other words, they persevered. We created the inaugural Perseverance Award in honor of Blake and Bryanna Irvin. To learn about becoming a foster parent in Arkansas, visit everychildarkansas.org.
All 2024 Winners
Area 1: Lisa Stockdale (Benton County)
Area 2: Dale and Rebecca Comstock (Sebastian County)
Area 3: Jerry and Tonya Ross (Garland County)
Area 4: Cassandra “Cassie” Thomas (Miller County)
Area 5: Mark and Jessica McNair (Faulkner County)
Area 6: Will and Emma McGrath (Pulaski County)
Area 7: Darran and Casie Williams (Jefferson County)
Area 8: John and Angela Briggs (Randolph County)
Area 9: Joshua and Shianna Cowell (White County)
Area 10: Renella Lee (Phillips County)
Early Promise: Ron and Wanda Day (Faulkner County)
Perseverance: Blake and Bryanna Irvin (Cross County)
For more information on the winning families, visit ar.gov/FPOY. To learn more about becoming a foster parent or for ways that you can support foster parents, visit EveryChildArkansas.org.
