POWERGRAMS

39 When Jessica Mitchell received a call asking her to take in a motherless boy, she opened her home and her heart. "I was nervous, scared and excited, but trusting God I said yes," said Mitchell, customer service representative, Auburn Office. "The first night my foster son was in my home, he looked at me and said, 'Thank you for taking me.' What a simple statement with a profound impact." In June 2018, Mitchell was asked by the Lee County Department of Human Resources (DHR) to allow Noah, an 11-year-old who had entered the foster care system, to join her family. Mitchell has two sons, Samuel, 12, and Joel, 6, and knew another boy in the family would be an adjustment for everyone. During Noah's six months with the family, it was an emotional time, Mitchell said. "There were a lot of ups and downs and unknowns," she said. "He was nervous; I was nervous. It was a maer of trying to get him to feel comfortable with me and get him and my kids into a normal routine. Because he had taken care of himself most of his life, he had some difficulties adjusting to boundaries and rules that were set for him." Noah also faced many frustrations, Mitchell said. Despite the difficult situation at home, he wanted to return and could not understand why he had been forced to leave. Mitchell said it has been truly a positive experience for her, despite the challenges. She worked hard to help Noah see what it is like to be part of a stable family. Mitchell wanted Noah to have new experiences. Noah's Ark CUSTOMER SERVICE REP GAVE CHILD A REFUGE FROM LIFE'S STORMS

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