The Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) honored 12 families – one from each of its service areas and two others who received special awards – at its annual Foster Parents of the Year gala on Thursday, and one family was also named the overall statewide winner.
The families were selected for their unwavering support and commitment to children and families in Arkansas as foster parents. During the event, which was hosted at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, each family’s profile was shared, and they were honored with a letter of recognition from Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and a beautiful award. At the end of the night, Lisa Stockdale of Bentonville was announced the overall Foster Parent of the Year for 2024.
Stockdale, began her foster care journey nine years ago when she was recruited and trained by The CALL. Over that time, she has provided a safe, stable home for 37 children, from medically fragile infants like her current placement to 17-year-olds – some for as short a time as two days, while others have stayed for as long as two years. Lisa is a nurse and has worked both as a nursing instructor and as a nurse in a juvenile detention facility.
“I know so many foster families and single parents and all these different groups, and they are so wonderful, and they’ve done so much that sometimes I don’t think I compare to them,” Stockdale said. “But it’s been an honor to, one, be nominated and, two, to win. To win the whole thing is a dream come true – it really is.”
Stockdale says those who are considering fostering should just do it.
“I feel like if it’s a calling — if you feel God is putting this on your heart to foster, I don’t think you should wait,” she said. “I think that it can change your life.”
“Arkansas’ foster families are heroes,” Governor Sarah Sanders says. “As Governor, I’ve been proud to work on improving our foster care system. But more important than anyone in government are our foster families. I’m thrilled to be a part of honoring these foster parents and their generosity.”
“Lisa Stockdale is a shining example of a partner who lives out the mission of DCFS,” DCFS Director Tiffany Wright added. “We are so grateful for her partnership, and for the partnership of all foster parents across the state.”
The other families honored as Arkansas Foster Parents of the year for their respective areas were:
- Dale and Rebecca Comstock of Fort Smith
- Jerry and Tonya Ross of Hot Springs
- Cassie Thomas of Texarkana
- Mark and Jessica McNair of Conway
- Will and Emma McGrath of Little Rock
- Darran and Casie Williams of White Hall
- John and Angela Briggs of Pocahontas
- Joshua and Shianna Cowell of Searcy
- Renella Lee of Helena
Additionally, two other families were recognized with special awards.
Ron and Wanda Day of Conway were honored as the Early Promise Award winners. The Early Promise Award is presented to new foster families who have already made an impact on the foster care system in Arkansas. Blake and Bryanna Irvin of Wynne were honored as the Perseverance Award winners. The Perseverance Award was inspired by their commitment to continuing to foster after their home was damaged in the March 31, 2023, tornado outbreak in Arkansas.
DCFS is responsible for the safety of children in the state and has approximately 3,600 children in foster care, most of whom are placed in home settings with foster families. The state is divided into 10 service areas, and nominations for outstanding foster families were submitted from each area by family service workers, other foster parents, and child advocates.
For more information about the foster care system in Arkansas or to begin the application process to become a foster family, visit Every Child Arkansas at everychildarkansas.org.
2024 winners
Area 1 – Lisa Stockdale
Our Area 1 winner in northwest Arkansas, Lisa Stockdale, began her foster care journey nine years ago when she was recruited and trained by The CALL. Over that time, she has provided a safe, stable home for 37 children, from medically fragile infants like her current placement to 17-year-olds – some for as short a time as two days, while others have stayed for as long as two years. Lisa is a nurse and has worked both as a nursing instructor and as a nurse in a juvenile detention facility. Lisa is also a single mom to her sons Ethan and Isaac. One of Lisa’s hallmarks as a foster parent is her absolute commitment to what is best for the children in her care AND their original families. And Lisa is more than happy to do all of it because she knows she’s a small part of a much bigger plan. She told us, “Without my kiddos and without foster care, I would still be wandering around aimlessly looking for God’s purpose for me.”
Area 2 – Dale and Rebecca Comstock
Our Area 2 winners, Dale and Rebecca Comstock, are from Sebastian County in western Arkansas. They have been fostering here in Arkansas with Free Will Baptist Family Ministries for three years now, but their foster journey started in North Carolina, where they also served as foster and adoptive parents. The Comstocks are known for accepting all types of placements, but especially teens. In all, they have fostered 34 children, and they firmly believe that all children – but especially teens with years of trauma – deserve a safe, stable home to call their own, for as long as they need it. Regardless of what shape that child’s permanency takes, the focus for the Comstocks is always on strengthening and supporting the whole family – even after the child leaves their home. This level of commitment to fully supporting and loving the teens and families who come into their lives through foster care is why Dale and Rebecca Comstock have been chosen as our Area 2 Foster Parents of the Year.
Area 3 – Jerry and Tonya Ross
Jerry and Tonya Ross are the Foster Parents of the Year for Area 3 in the Ouachita region of Arkansas. They have been fostering for over 12 years and have cared for nearly 100 children over that time. Tonya is currently the County Coordinator for The CALL in her area, and she also serves as a TBRI trainer to provide trauma-informed education to other foster parents. While the Ross family fully support reunification efforts, three little children in their home have ended up needing a different kind of permanency, so Jerry and Tonya adopted them. But they are not slowing down. After having already raised two adult children, they currently have five children in their home – ages 7, 6, 3, 2, and 1. Jerry and Tonya Ross are wonderful examples of people with true servant hearts, and we are proud to name them the Foster Parents of the Year for Area 3.
Area 4 – Cassie Thomas
Cassie Thomas from Miller County in southwest Arkansas is the Area 4 Foster Parent of the Year. She has been fostering for three years now through The CALL, and she has fostered nearly 20 kids over that time. If Cassie is known for any one thing, it is the grace she extends to everyone around her. She is an unwavering advocate for the children in her care. She insists on always doing what is best for the child, even at the expense of her own plans and schedules. Agency staff love her because she is a constant support for them, handling almost all of the transportation needs for her children. And Cassie does all of this as a single mom, which makes her inspiring attitude and passion for her role as a foster parent even more impressive. We are proud to recognize Cassie Thomas as the Area 4 Foster Parent of the Year.
Area 5 – Mark and Jessica McNair
Mark and Jessica McNair of Conway are the Area 5 Foster Parents of the Year, and over the past five years, they have cared for roughly ten children of various ages. They are known across their area for being fierce advocates for the kids in their home. There is no “one size fits all” approach in the McNair home. Each child is different and needs love and support in different ways. They are equally passionate about engaging the kids’ original families as often as possible.
Jessica does an amazing job at taking photos of the kids and creating photo books for the kids’ moms and dads. She doesn’t want them to miss a thing. And when the kids return home safely, Mark and Jessica stay in contact and invite the families to celebrate holidays with them or help host birthday parties for the kids. But maybe the most impressive thing about the McNair family is not what they do, but how they make you feel. One of their local staff shared, “I love the feeling I get when I visit their home. It is such a welcoming and calm space. You can’t help but leave with a positive attitude and a smile on your face.” We can’t think of a better way than that to sum up why Mark and Jessica McNair are the Area 5 Foster Parents of the Year.
Area 6 – Will and Emma McGrath
The Foster Parents of the Year for Area 6 in central Arkansas – Will and Emma McGrath – can do it all, and they do it well. For the past five years, they have willingly accepted all kinds of placements. So far, nearly 20 children have called the McGrath home their own. Will and Emma understand the importance of the sibling bond, providing extra visits, sleepovers, and get-togethers so siblings can see each other as often as possible. They also value and support the original family as the team works toward reunification. A beautiful little baby girl was once placed with Will and Emma, and they were committed to helping mother and daughter reunify before the girl’s first birthday. Thanks to the mom’s hard work and the support from Will, Emma and the rest of the team, mother and daughter were indeed safely reunited by the child’s first birthday…and Will and Emma even provided mom with baby shower gifts to celebrate. This kind of selfless, humble approach to fostering is why Will and Emma McGrath are the Area 6 Foster Parents of the Year.
Area 7 – Darran and Casie Williams
As foster parents through the Connected Foster Care program with Arkansas Baptist Children and Family Ministries, Darran and Casie have fostered nine children already. Their first placement was a three-child sibling group, including two children with significant developmental needs. They knew that the goal was to safely return the children to their original family, so they went above and beyond to connect with and support the mother. As reunification got closer, they increased communication and contact with mom, and even personally handled the transition back into mom’s home when it was time…even though it was a 3-hour drive, one way. Now that the siblings have gone home, Darran and Casie have welcomed a teen into their home. We can’t wait to see what kind of love, support, and guidance they pour into this child as they continue their foster journey.
The two biggest placement needs in Arkansas are homes willing to accept siblings and teens. And the most important goal we have at DCFS is that children who come into foster care return home safely and quickly. In the year that Darran and Casie Williams have been foster parents in Jefferson County, they have already accomplished all three, and that’s why they are the Area 7 Foster Parents of the Year.
Area 8 – John and Angie Briggs
John and Angie Briggs from Pocahontas in northeast Arkansas have fostered 16 children in their five years as foster parents with the Bridge of Hope program. They have opened their home and hearts to toddlers, teens, and everything in between. Angie will tell you that children who come through their doors are loved from Day 1 as if they had been there since the day they were born. John and Angie are prepared to love, support, and guide children for as long as needed, but they welcome all types of placements – respite care, short term, and long term. John and Angie’s ability and willingness to truly invest in and connect with children of all ages and from all backgrounds is their greatest strength. Their authenticity and honesty resonates with their kids and it’s why John and Angie Briggs are the Area 8 Foster Parents of the Year.
Area 9 – Joshua and Shianna Cowell
Every foster care worker has a “go-to” family. That family in Area 9 is the Cowell family. Joshua and Shianna Cowell have been foster parents for about two years after being trained by The CALL, and they have cared for 21 children so far – including 13 teenagers and multiple siblings. The Cowells take kids in tough situations – severe medical needs, challenging behaviors, multiple previous placement disruptions, even ankle monitors. And they do it all with grace and positivity. Mercy always triumphs over judgment in the Cowell household, and this core belief impacts kids in amazing ways. The Cowells unwavering support doesn’t end with their kids. It extends to their Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) family as well. Shianna’s mother was a longtime worker in the White County DCFS office, and Shianna is committed to continuing her mother’s legacy. Joshua and Shianna are purposeful in their mission to love and support kids, families, other foster parents, and caseworkers in their area, and it’s why we’re proud to honor them as the Area 9 Foster Parents of the Year.
Area 10 – Renella Lee
Every foster parent is excited when they finally make it through all the training and paperwork and formally start their foster journey – but very few can match how excited Renella Lee was almost two years ago when she became a foster parent in Phillips County in eastern Arkansas. Renella’s path was not easy. Back then, she was going to school full time, working full time, and taking foster parent training classes at night, all as a single but very determined young lady. But look at her now…she is the Area 10 Foster Parent of the Year. One of the quotes that Renella shared the day she became official tells us a lot about her approach to fostering – “Foster care means choosing the pain of a great loss if it means a child has received the gain of great love.” Renella loves her kids with great abandon, because she knows they deserve it. Everyone who comes into Renella’s orbit is better for the experience, and we look forward to watching her impact children and families in eastern Arkansas for many years to come.
Early Promise Award – Ron and Wanda Day
The Early Promise Award is given to a new foster family who has already made a significant impact in their short time fostering. Our Early Promise Award winners for this year are Ron and Wanda Day from Faulkner County. They have only been foster parents for about a year, but they have already made quite an impression. They have fostered three children so far, including their current placement – a set of twins with complex medical needs. This kind of placement is tough for even seasoned foster parents, but Ron and Wanda are uniquely qualified for the job – Wanda is a registered nurse and knows exactly what to do.
We also place a high value on supporting reunification at DCFS, and the Days fully embrace that value. Their first placement was a young boy whose goal was to go back home to family, so Ron and Wanda made every effort to support the original family and prepare everyone for a successful and lasting reunification. They don’t want the family to miss a thing, and that commitment to communication and inclusion extends to their local DCFS staff as well. After every appointment, visit, or other significant moment, Wanda is on the phone with staff to update them on how things are going. Ron and Wanda are dedicated to keeping everyone in the loop and working together toward the same goal, and that is amazing to see in new foster parents. We are proud to honor Ron and Wanda Day as the winners of this year’s Early Promise Award.
Perseverance Award – Blake and Bryanna Irvin
A little over a year ago, on March 31, 2023, Arkansas experienced a devastating tornado outbreak. Countless homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed that day. One of those homes belonged to Blake and Bryanna Irvin and their young family in Cross County. Not only is Blake is an Arkansas State Trooper, Bryanna is a Qualified Behavioral Health Provider trainer for a local counseling provider, a champion for Connected Foster Care and Adoptions and they also happen to be foster parents.
Their home was significantly damaged in the tornado, and no one would have blamed Blake and Bryanna for pausing their life as foster parents while they processed the trauma and upheaval of that terrible day. But that didn’t happen. They knew that the kids they were fostering desperately needed to feel safe, stable, and loved, regardless of the situation. So, they found a way to carry on amid all the chaos and continue serving as foster parents. Blake and Bryanna showed their kids – and all of us – what it means to step up and do whatever it takes for those who need us. In other words, they persevered. We created the inaugural Perseverance Award in honor of Blake and Bryanna Irvin. To learn about becoming a foster parent in Arkansas, visit everychildarkansas.org.
All 2024 Winners
Area 1: Lisa Stockdale (Benton County)
Area 2: Dale and Rebecca Comstock (Sebastian County)
Area 3: Jerry and Tonya Ross (Garland County)
Area 4: Cassandra “Cassie” Thomas (Miller County)
Area 5: Mark and Jessica McNair (Faulkner County)
Area 6: Will and Emma McGrath (Pulaski County)
Area 7: Darran and Casie Williams (Jefferson County)
Area 8: John and Angela Briggs (Randolph County)
Area 9: Joshua and Shianna Cowell (White County)
Area 10: Renella Lee (Phillips County)
Early Promise: Ron and Wanda Day (Faulkner County)
Perseverance: Blake and Bryanna Irvin (Cross County)
For more information on the winning families, visit ar.gov/FPOY. To learn more about becoming a foster parent or for ways that you can support foster parents, visit EveryChildArkansas.org.
