What does it really take to open your home—and your heart—to a child in foster care? Licensed to Love is the podcast for future foster and adoptive parents who want to understand the foster care system, build trauma-informed parenting skills, and create safe, loving homes for children who need them most.
New episodes every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month on the JazzCast Pros Network.
Hosted by Lauri and Veronica—directors at Families Thrive Inc., a leading foster care and adoption agency in Rochester, New York—each episode blends real stories from foster youth, birth families, and licensed caregivers with expert guidance drawn from decades of experience helping children find permanent, loving homes.
Topics Include:
✅ How to become a licensed foster parent in New York
✅ What to expect during your home study and training
✅ Supporting teens and keeping sibling groups together
✅ The truth about family reunification and the Families First Act
✅ Navigating trauma, grief, and resilience
✅ Preparing youth for adulthood and aging out of the system
Whether you’re just starting to explore foster parenting, deep in the licensing process, or preparing for adoption, Licensed to Love gives you the tools, encouragement, and clarity to say yes—with heart and confidence.
Because love isn’t just a feeling—it’s a commitment. And every child deserves a place to belong.
About Families Thrive Inc.
Based in Rochester, NY, Families Thrive recruits foster and adoptive families for children in the foster care system ages 0 to 21. We place referred children in a loving home temporarily with a goal to return to a family member. When children cannot return or are waiting for a family, we provide pre-to-post adoption services and work closely with families through the entire process. Families Thrive offers services and training to our families and skill-building to the children. We host a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiter on staff to find resources for children waiting for a family. With two sites in Rochester and the Finger Lakes, our mission is always to provide children with a kin family connection or find a permanent loving place to belong.
Donate at: https://givebutter.com/FamiliesThriveDonation
Connect with us on Social Media
Instagram
Facebook
Families Thrive, Inc,| LinkedIn
Music from #Uppbeathttps://uppbeat.io/t/evoli/vancouver
License code: OP7TONLRWONEVAYD
All content for Licensed to Love is the property of Families Thrive Inc and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
What does it really take to open your home—and your heart—to a child in foster care? Licensed to Love is the podcast for future foster and adoptive parents who want to understand the foster care system, build trauma-informed parenting skills, and create safe, loving homes for children who need them most.
New episodes every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month on the JazzCast Pros Network.
Hosted by Lauri and Veronica—directors at Families Thrive Inc., a leading foster care and adoption agency in Rochester, New York—each episode blends real stories from foster youth, birth families, and licensed caregivers with expert guidance drawn from decades of experience helping children find permanent, loving homes.
Topics Include:
✅ How to become a licensed foster parent in New York
✅ What to expect during your home study and training
✅ Supporting teens and keeping sibling groups together
✅ The truth about family reunification and the Families First Act
✅ Navigating trauma, grief, and resilience
✅ Preparing youth for adulthood and aging out of the system
Whether you’re just starting to explore foster parenting, deep in the licensing process, or preparing for adoption, Licensed to Love gives you the tools, encouragement, and clarity to say yes—with heart and confidence.
Because love isn’t just a feeling—it’s a commitment. And every child deserves a place to belong.
About Families Thrive Inc.
Based in Rochester, NY, Families Thrive recruits foster and adoptive families for children in the foster care system ages 0 to 21. We place referred children in a loving home temporarily with a goal to return to a family member. When children cannot return or are waiting for a family, we provide pre-to-post adoption services and work closely with families through the entire process. Families Thrive offers services and training to our families and skill-building to the children. We host a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiter on staff to find resources for children waiting for a family. With two sites in Rochester and the Finger Lakes, our mission is always to provide children with a kin family connection or find a permanent loving place to belong.
Donate at: https://givebutter.com/FamiliesThriveDonation
Connect with us on Social Media
Instagram
Facebook
Families Thrive, Inc,| LinkedIn
Music from #Uppbeathttps://uppbeat.io/t/evoli/vancouver
License code: OP7TONLRWONEVAYD
Ep. 2 For Monique Burney, the desire to become a foster mom came from personal experience—she grew up in foster care herself and understood the power of keeping siblings together. What she didn’t know was whether she qualified to do it on her own as a single parent.
In this heartfelt episode of Licensed to Love, Monique shares how her path to fostering began with that question—and how a conversation with Families Thrive’s Director of Program Services, Veronica Black, helped her see that love, patience, and stability are what truly make a family. Joined by Executive Director Lauri McKnight, Veronica also breaks down the first steps of the foster care journey, explaining what to expect at an informational meeting, what the training process involves, and the biggest myths they work to debunk every day.
🎟️ Join the Movement:
Celebrate foster and adoptive families at the Families Thrive Heart & Home Gala — November 1st at 6 PM at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center.
Reserve your seat today at 👉 www.familiesthriveinc.org
💛 Key Takeaways:
What really happens at an informational meeting
The training process for becoming a foster or adoptive parent
How Families Thrive matches children with foster families
The truth about single, same-sex, or non-traditional foster parents
How love and structure can change a child’s life
Chapters:
0:00 Why I Said Yes to Becoming a Single Foster Parent
4:21 The Informational Meeting
7:02 Holistic Foster Placement: Matching Child Needs With Family Dynamics
10:23 Investing in Their Future
16:18 Blessings and Challenges of Foster Care
22:17 Fears and Misconceptions in Foster Parenting
24:34 Families Thrive Provides Comprehensive Support for Foster Parents
28:38 Fostering Journeys: Challenges, Commitments, and Transformations
34:54 Impact of Nurturing and Building Relationships on Children
39:57 Heart & Home Gala November 1
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Ep. 1 In this debut episode of License to Love, hosts Lauri McKnight (Executive Director) and Veronica Black (Director of Program Services) of Families Thrive share the inspiring journey of how their organization evolved from Children Awaiting Parents into a comprehensive foster care and adoption agency.
With decades of combined experience, Lauri and Veronica open the door to what fostering and adoption look like in New York State today.
From advocating for sibling groups and minority children to creating support models that nurture both kids and families, their work continues to transform lives and communities.
✨ Key Takeaways
Families Thrive has expanded from an adoption exchange into a licensed foster care and adoption agency.
The organization pioneered visibility for children in care through resources like the CAT book, which inspired NY State’s Blue Book.
Their approach focuses on family strengths and children’s needs—never just “bed availability.”
Innovative support programs like coach visitation and family team meetings help families succeed long term.
💬 Notable Quotes
“Our mission is to demystify the process of gaining your license to foster or adopt in New York State.” – Lauri McKnight
“Families Thrive is not just about putting kids in homes; it's about creating safe, nurturing environments.” – Veronica Black
🔗 Resources
🌐 FamiliesThrive.org
💙 Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Program: https://www.davethomasfoundation.org/how-we-help/wendys-wonderful-kids/
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Have you ever felt called to do more? To open your heart—and your home—to a child who needs love and stability?
Meet Lauri & Veronica, two moms with decades of lived and professional experience in foster care and adoption. As executives at Families Thrive Inc, they’re guiding future parents through the real journey of fostering and adoption in New York State. Because every child deserves a safe, loving home. 💛
Licensed to Love is your inside look at what it takes to become a foster parent: the steps, the stories, the challenges, and the joy of making a lasting difference.
📅 Episode 1 drops Friday, August 29 on the JazzCast Pros Network.
Connect with us:
Instagram
Facebook
LinkedIn: (24) Families Thrive, Inc.: Overview | LinkedIn
Music from #Uppbeathttps://uppbeat.io/t/evoli/vancouver
License code: OP7TONLRWONEVAYD
https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/the-drive-homeLicense code: NB4UXXO92DPEWR1A
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What does it really take to open your home—and your heart—to a child in foster care? Licensed to Love is the podcast for future foster and adoptive parents who want to understand the foster care system, build trauma-informed parenting skills, and create safe, loving homes for children who need them most.
New episodes every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month on the JazzCast Pros Network.
Hosted by Lauri and Veronica—directors at Families Thrive Inc., a leading foster care and adoption agency in Rochester, New York—each episode blends real stories from foster youth, birth families, and licensed caregivers with expert guidance drawn from decades of experience helping children find permanent, loving homes.
Topics Include:
✅ How to become a licensed foster parent in New York
✅ What to expect during your home study and training
✅ Supporting teens and keeping sibling groups together
✅ The truth about family reunification and the Families First Act
✅ Navigating trauma, grief, and resilience
✅ Preparing youth for adulthood and aging out of the system
Whether you’re just starting to explore foster parenting, deep in the licensing process, or preparing for adoption, Licensed to Love gives you the tools, encouragement, and clarity to say yes—with heart and confidence.
Because love isn’t just a feeling—it’s a commitment. And every child deserves a place to belong.
About Families Thrive Inc.
Based in Rochester, NY, Families Thrive recruits foster and adoptive families for children in the foster care system ages 0 to 21. We place referred children in a loving home temporarily with a goal to return to a family member. When children cannot return or are waiting for a family, we provide pre-to-post adoption services and work closely with families through the entire process. Families Thrive offers services and training to our families and skill-building to the children. We host a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiter on staff to find resources for children waiting for a family. With two sites in Rochester and the Finger Lakes, our mission is always to provide children with a kin family connection or find a permanent loving place to belong.
Donate at: https://givebutter.com/FamiliesThriveDonation
Connect with us on Social Media
Instagram
Facebook
Families Thrive, Inc,| LinkedIn
Music from #Uppbeathttps://uppbeat.io/t/evoli/vancouver
License code: OP7TONLRWONEVAYD
