Two decades ago, the Knox-Potts family embarked on a remarkable journey of foster care and adoption through Orchards Children’s Services. This voyage began when Ayana and Paul Knox-Potts, a newlywed couple with two young children, recognized they were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to change the lives of others—and their own—by sharing their home and their hearts. So, they reached out to Orchards Children’s Services.
When a newborn named Amari entered foster care, the Orchards team realized Ayana and Paul were the perfect fit. Amari required consistent, long-term care, and the Knox-Potts committed themselves to this role. As time unfolded, Amari became eligible for adoption, a path Ayana and Paul gladly embraced.
In the years that followed, the Knox-Potts family expanded further with the addition of another biological child. Despite raising four children, Ayana and Paul felt an enduring desire to extend their efforts. They resumed their fostering journey, welcoming two girls, Jean and Louise, into their home. While the couple originally intended to provide the girls with a loving but temporary home, their journey took an unexpected turn, and Jean and Louise became permanent family members.
Throughout the years, Orchards Children’s Services proved to be an invaluable source of support for Ayana and Paul. “Orchards provided so many resources for us and our family and they never excluded any of my children,” Ayana explained. “You have [ongoing] help and support from experts who understand. We fostered and adopted when they were babies, but this still has long term effects.“
Wanting to pay forward the knowledge and support they gained by working with Orchards, Ayana and Paul became mentors, leading a parent support group at Orchards and offering their guidance to fellow adoptive parents. These gatherings fostered a sense of community for both parents and children, affirming that they were not alone in their experiences. Ayana also joined the Oakland County Foster Care Review Board, where she continued to advocate for the welfare of foster children.
Today, the Knox-Potts children have grown, with the oldest attending college and the youngest just starting middle school. Emulating their parents’ kind and accepting example, the Knox-Potts children have opened their hearts and shared their home with multiple foreign exchange students, fully embracing others from different cultures and backgrounds. In fact, three of the Knox-Potts children are fluent in Spanish and one is proficient in Chinese! As Ayana and Paul reflect on their journey with immense gratitude, they know that their family was able to reach its full, beautiful form thanks to the support they received through Orchards Children’s Services.
“Because of Orchards Children’s Services we have our complete family.”
The Knox-Potts family is just one of thousands helped every year by your support of Orchards Children’s Services. Each family and child we serve has their own unique story and individual needs, but because of your support we can help empower them to achieve stability and long-term self-sufficiency in safe and caring environments.
Please donate today to continue this vital work by visiting our donation form at https://www.jotform.com/form/202404296333146.
