Fostering Our Future

Mike Heal and Suzanne Kraft

Over the 10 years of their service as foster parents, it has not been uncommon for a youth who was previously placed with Mike and Suzanne to contact them to express gratitude, to ask them to be Godparents of their child, or to bring a new boyfriend by to see their home. These lasting connections are symbolic of the remarkable impact both Suanne and Mike have had on children in their care.

Mike and Suzanne were foster parents for La Crosse County Human Services for 10 years and have cared for 23 youths in their home. The fact that Mike utilized a wheelchair was not a barrier to their calling and never caused them to waiver in their commitment. They understood their role as not just to care for the children in foster care, but rather to extend that same warmth to the families they tried to help and reunite with their children. Their thoughtful approach and intervention with families was often the key to the children's success.

When Suanne and Mike did not have children placed in their care, they trained other foster parents. In 1999, Mike and Suanne were part of the first group of foster parents from La Crosse County to train and deliver intense foster parent training called PACE. They became skilled trainers and became huge advocates for good, reality based foster care training. They have continued to be highly valuable and experienced trainers for this Department with a great ability to connect and mentor new foster parents.

Suzanne and Mike received the 2009 Governor's Foster Care awards. Sadly, Mike passed away early in 2010, but his memory lives on in all of those whose lives he touched.