The Touched By A Child Foundation is a non-profit counseling agency that was started by the McVicker family in Nevada City, CA. They actually use puppets and plays to address the particular issues that arise in foster families.

I was recently contacted by the mother, Kathy McVicker. She told me that they started the business after they had birthed 7 chilren and then adopted 11 children (Wow!) and discovered how lost and abandoned children are in the foster system. She said that “many grow up in foster care and when they are 18 they turn out to live a life they aren’t prepared for. As a result, there are children really hurting and struggling, not knowing where they belong. And the flip side to all of this…many families who take these children in have a very hard time dealing with the many, many issues that these kids are dealing with…even when they are adopted.”

So her husband went back to school, after being an Electrical contractor for 25 years, to get his license as a Marriage and Family therapist.  Kathy has been homeschooling the kids for over 25 years and started using drama to give the kids a chance to express themselves.  They started performing for friends and family, but now they’ve gotten a bit more serious and now put on dinner theater productions at a historic hotel under the name Touched By A Child Dine and Shine Theater.  They encourage families to bring their kids our for dinner and watch a puppet show with music and a good moral lesson. 

Kathy and her husband have suddenly become heroes of mine.  I have a heart for children, especially children that have to face adversity so early in life.  I applaud their efforts and hope that they continue in their amazing, and often difficult work.  I know that they will make a tremendously positive impact in the lives of a lot of young people.  And who knows what some of those kids will go on to do?

To read a little more about a couple of their performances, you can look here or here.

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