Fostering Change

In this episode, Rob and Dana welcome child welfare advocate Maureen Flatley back to the podcast. So many aspects of the foster care system have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis as many resources have been limited or shut down completely. In addition, former foster youth who have aged out and are now in college have been forced into shelters as dorms have closed down. For more info, please vis...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Alia Innovations founder Dr. Amelia Franck Meyer. Alia is working to reform the child welfare system with a focus on keeping families together. She talks about how there is no evidence to show that removing children from their biological families is beneficial and how fostering the family is a lot more effective for positive outcomes. Please visit comfortcases...

In this episode, Rob and Dana check in with Noah Ehlert as he hits the half way point of his Discover Your Path Tour. Noah is riding his bike from San Diego, CA to St. Petersburg, FL, visiting group homes along the way to inspire and mentor teens in foster care. Noah gets emotional as he talks about what this tour has meant to him and how he knows he’s been having an impact on the youth he’s spoke...

In this episode, Rob and Dana welcome author and foster care advocate Shenandoah Chefalo. Shen talks about the process of writing her book “Garbage Bag Suitcase” and how she was able to open up about her childhood spent in foster care. She also talks about the fact that approximately 4,600 children go missing from foster care every year and for the most part, nobody tries to find them. 🎥  Wa...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to foster mom and former CASA Brittany Burcham. A CASA is a Court Appointed Special Advocate assigned to a child in foster care. Brittany does an amazing job explaining what it’s like to be a CASA and what a fulfilling experience it was for her. If you want to help children in foster care but you can’t be a foster parent, becoming a CASA could be right for you. B...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk about the upcoming 6th Annual Comfort Cases Gala. The Gala is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and our supporters from all across the country can help make it a success - even if you don’t live in the DC area! For more info visit comfortcases.org/podcast . 🎥  Watch the full video episodes on YouTube! Head over to  Comfort Cases on YouTube  to c...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Jessica and Brittany about their journey to becoming foster parents. As they await their first placement, Jess and Britt share why they decided to become foster parents, their hopes and fears about being new moms, and how they plan to deal with the "hard stuff" that comes with parenting children who have experienced trauma. Please visit comfortcases.org/podcas...

In this episode, Rob checks in with Noah Ehlert as he prepares to begin his “Discover Your Path” bike tour across the country. Noah spent time in foster care and lived in a group home when he was 11 years old. Now an adult with children of his own, Noah decided he wanted to share his story with kids currently in the system in the hopes of showing them that there is light on the other side of their...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to fellow advocates Whitney Gilliard and Kimberly Raff about the “give your used suitcases to foster kids” post that recently went viral. While we all appreciate the attention to the horrible practice of giving trash bags to children in foster care, and we believe it was shared with the best of intentions, we also feel a responsibility to educate the public about...

When you give to Comfort Cases, you're not just supporting our mission to eliminate the use of trash bags in the foster care system, you are also supporting the advocacy work we do to bring about real change. Rob Scheer is a leading advocate for youth in foster care. He knows first-hand what it feels like to struggle with feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and depression. He travels the coun...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Kate Davenport, LCSW-C. Kate is a foster parent recruiter and trainer in Montgomery County, Maryland. She talks about how to become a foster parent, what some of the requirements are, and she answers questions about the process. For more info, please visit comfortcases.org/podcast . 🎥  Watch the full video episodes on YouTube! Head over to  Comfort...

In this episode, Rob and Dana close out 2019 with a look ahead at 2020. They talk about 3 new items that will be added to Comfort Cases beginning in January. They also discuss all of the ways supporters near and far can help Comfort Cases. From becoming a Social Media Ambassador, to hosting a donation drive, volunteering at our center, or taking a second to set up an Amazon Smile account, everyone...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Monica Pantoja, Executive Director of the Nsoro Foundation. The Nsoro Foundation provides scholarships and other services to former youth in foster care who aged out of the system. They currently have 268 students enrolled in their program attending colleges in 31 states. The Nsoro Foundation believes that education is the great equalizer and that youth who ha...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to author, speaker, and foster care advocate LaTasha Watts. LaTasha is the founder of The Purple Project, a yearly conference that brings teens in foster care together for workshops and to share their experiences. LaTasha spent most of her childhood in foster care, suffered horrible abuse, battled cancer, and has now dedicated her life to helping youth who are ag...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Noah Ehlert. Noah grew up in and out of the foster care system and discovered a passion for cycling when a friend's mother gave him a bicycle when he was a teenager. Now a father of three, Noah is embarking on a bike tour from San Diego, CA to St. Petersburg, FL to share his story and inspire youth in foster care. He will spend two months riding his bike acros...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Rob's husband and Comfort Cases co-founder Reece Scheer. Together, Rob and Reece talk about their foster-to-adopt journey and what made them decide to grow their forever family by adopting from the foster care system. They share some of the struggles they faced on their journey and how their four children have brought so much joy to their lives. For more info,...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Comfort Cases' Volunteer Coordinator Markia Chambers. On Friday, November 22, Comfort Cases will kick off the first ever "Marathon Packing Party" in which over 350 volunteers will come to the national center in Rockville, MD to pack 2,400 Comfort Cases in 24 hours. Markia talks about the volunteers who will come for the Marathon Packing Party as well as all of...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Steve and Rob Anderson-McLean about their amazing adoption story. They knew they wanted to grow their family by adopting from foster care, but they didn’t plan on falling in love with 6 siblings from Ohio until they saw their photos. Steve and Rob talk about the foster-to-adopt process, what happened when they first met the kids, and what the first day as a fa...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Adoptions Together founder Janice Goldwater. Adoptions Together has placed nearly 8,000 children in permanent homes since it’s inception in 1990. Janice founded the organization with the idea that all children deserve a loving home regardless of their age, race, or ability, and that all stable adults who want to be parents should have the opportunity, regardle...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to speaker and author Carlotta Taylor. Carlotta shares her story of growing up with an abusive father, escaping with her mother, and ending up in foster care during her teenage years. She credits the grace of God for helping her through the early years of her life and she writes about letting go of her painful past in the book, “No More Flinching: 5 Steps to Over...

In this episode, Rob and Dana welcome government relations consultant Maureen Flatley. Maureen offers her unique insight into how the system actually works on the federal and state level and where she sees the disconnect between legislation that is passed and implementation. She talks about the for-profit foster care sector, the lack of accountability, and how she believes advocacy groups can make...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk about Rob's book, "A Forever Family: Fostering Change One Child at a Time". Rob explains how the book came to be, the Upworthy video that started it all, and what the process of writing was like for him. He also talks about the things he's gained - and what he lost - as a result of telling his story publicly. 🎥  Watch the full video episodes on YouTube! Hea...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to Kimberly Raff. Kimberly is the founder of Foster Alumni Mentors, an organization that provides assistance to young adults who have aged out of the foster care system. Having aged out of foster care herself, Kimberly understands the need for "wrap around services" for young adults who lack the support they need to transition into adulthood. Not only does her or...

In this episode, Rob talks about his adventures on the Amazon Prime Video show "Vacations of the Brave" and his family's appearance in the upcoming documentary film "Dads". Rob is grateful that he's been able to enjoy some amazing experiences, but for him, it's really all about bringing attention to Comfort Cases and the needs of children in the foster care system. 🎥  Watch the full video ep...

In this episode, Rob and Dana talk to mother and daughter philanthropy team Elaine and Nina Keltz. At just 5 years old, Nina helped organize a fashion show to benefit youth in foster care. Now at age 10, she volunteers for Comfort Cases among other charities. Elaine Keltz was named Mrs. Washington, DC in 2015 and has continued to use her platform to empower women to become leaders and to focus on...