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Sharper Family

Richmond, VA 

Ollie Sharper lives in Virginia. She has three birth sons, one daughter-in-law, and four grandsons. But her journey of parenthood has just begun!

Ollie began fostering for the City of Richmond over 10 years ago. From 2004 through 2007, her home was the first and only for what is now known as the Professional Foster Parent Program. She is determined that “In this home, the emphasis on past trauma is removed and the focus is directed to future planning for independent living. Ollie is proud to share that “in the past 4 years we have realized much success. We have had six youth graduate - five from high school and one from a vocational school. My only foster daughter is living independently and attending college.” She recently adopted 10 year old Sean.

Reflecting on these experiences, Ollie wrote “As a foster/adoptive parent I have seen first hand how multiple placement, abandonment and rejection can cripple a child’s development, destroy their self esteem and erase any hope of a future. Unfortunately, these are the effects of the lack of permanency after the fact. There is only one way to say this, "Children in foster care need families! They need the American public!"

Ollie has provided care for over 35 youth in 10 years but she recently finalized her first adoption with twelve year old Sean. Her thoughtful opinion is this, "There is a need for careful selection when it comes to adoption decisions. I have personally experienced the effects of failed adoptions" (a sibling group of 3 and my son).

Ollie believes that fear is the biggest obstacle people face in the recruitment and retention of qualified foster and adoptive families. She stated, "In my service to foster care, I have kept exclusively African-American boys who have been, for the most part, teenagers. Unless we do a better job of changing public opinion about the children in foster care, we will never be able to fully impact permanency for them, which is so critical for their well being."

She shares these details about her family, "I have offered and hoped to adopt four other children. Two of them didn't wish to be adopted and are satisfied identifying as my sons even though no adoption took place. For the other two, it was not most financially advantageous for them to be adopted. They would have lost their college funding if they had been adopted. Whether it is through adoption, or some other form of permanency, children need these connections. At some point the past has to be put to rest. Too often with foster children, they are forced to relive the events of their lives. “In my home, my young men are free to discuss what hurts if they choose. But when the conversation is over, we then begin to make plans for tomorrow. I often tell them that the whole story concerning them is not yet told. We must get about the business at hand. You may not be able to do anything about the past, but put it in its proper prospective; your future is a whole other story and you are the author. So let's write your story!"

She proudly recalls, "I and my young men were privileged to attend the 2008 Policy to Practice Conference in Washington DC. I have never been so proud, as one of my young men motioned to me to stand fast as he hurried across the room to escort me to our table. When I got up and we were introduced we were so well received by the group. Many of the attendees made mention how well behaved they were, and how well they represented themselves. This only goes to prove that regardless of a child’s past, if they are connected with a family early on, they can overcome great obstacles."

Ollie continues to be a foster parent and she plans to adopt a sibling group in the near future. She said this about her experience, "Fostering and adopting is a difficult but rewarding life change. It has to involve your whole family, and that is the approach we took."

Find out more how to adopt and how to foster.

Media who would like to interview the Sharper family, contact us at info@adoptuskids.org or 888-200-4005.