Wanda Jones: A Life of Purpose Through Foster Care and Child Advocacy

“It wasn’t what I did for the kids – it’s what they did for me.”

That’s how Wanda Jones reflects on her powerful journey through decades of child welfare work, foster parenting, and spiritual guidance. Her story isn’t just about giving children a safe place to land, It’s about answering a calling that shaped not only the lives of the children she cared for, but her own path, career, and faith. “I believe in divine appointments and, you know, it just is what God has purposed you for, and I believe that’s what happened with me in fostering.”

An Unexpected Calling

Wanda’s story begins in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she was born and raised. After graduating from the University of Florida in 1985, she moved to Chicago with no clear career path in mind. A suggestion from a friend of her cousin led her to Maryville Academy, a sprawling residential campus run by Catholic Charities and modeled after Boys Town in Nebraska.  Wanda says, “They needed people to work there, take care of these kids. So I thought okay, I’ll check it out. I really didn’t have a clue!”

There, she began work as a house parent assistant, supporting a couple caring for nine boys between the ages of 8 and 18. Many of these children had experienced unimaginable trauma, including abandonment, neglect, and abuse. Wanda had no idea at the time, but this was the beginning of a lifelong commitment to helping children in crisis.

Love, Marriage, and Nine Boys

While at Maryville, Wanda met her future husband, Sherman, also an assistant house parent. After reconnecting a year later, they married—and were soon invited by the facility’s leadership to become full-time house parents. At just 23 years old, Wanda and Sherman found themselves in charge of nine deeply wounded boys.

It was a huge responsibility. Some of the boys had been abandoned, including one whose mother never returned after walking him to the bus stop. Others came from abusive homes, like an eight-year-old whose father had assaulted every child in the house.

Despite their youth, Wanda and Sherman built a home filled with structure, compassion, and faith. The children weren’t just housed, they were nurtured.

Faith as Foundation

Central to their caregiving was Wanda’s unwavering Christian faith. She had become a born-again believer in college and shared her relationship with God not through religious ritual, but through love, conversation, and example. Many of the children had never been introduced to spirituality as something personal and healing.

“We didn’t push religion,” Wanda explained. “It wasn’t about going to church every Sunday. It was about helping them understand that they were loved, accepted, and part of something bigger than their pain.”

She credits this spiritual grounding with helping many of the boys begin to heal, learn to trust, and rebuild their sense of self-worth.

From Foster Home to the Front Lines

After three and a half years as house parents, Wanda transitioned into a new role as a counselor at John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, Illinois, helping Maryville’s children integrate into a prestigious (and predominantly white) public school. She was the first Black staff member at the school and quickly became a trusted presence for not only Maryville’s children but also for the few African American students from the surrounding community.

Eventually, Wanda returned to Florida and entered a long and meaningful career in child welfare. From licensing and case management to working as a Child Protective Investigator (CPI) and later a program manager at the sheriff’s office, each role was a step forward – built on her early foundation as a foster parent.

“I couldn’t have done any of those jobs well if I hadn’t started as a foster parent,” she says. “That experience gave me the heart, the perspective, and the resilience I needed.”

What Fostering Taught Her

Wanda is clear: fostering changed her more than she ever expected. It taught her how to love unconditionally, to lead with compassion, and to see people beyond their appearances or past mistakes.

“It’s not about where you came from – it’s where you’re going,” she says. “I learned not to judge, because so many of these kids had already been judged by everyone around them.”

Even now, years later, she stays in contact with several of the boys she and Sherman once cared for. One of them is now the Executive Director of Maryville’s Alumni Department and a candidate for a doctorate. Others have gone on to raise families and build stable lives of their own. Wanda cherishes every update, every call, every moment of connection.

Advice for Future Foster Parents

Her advice to anyone considering fostering is simple: examine your intentions.

“If you’re in it to adopt, or to fill a personal void, you’re in it for the wrong reason,” she says. “This work is about being there for the child and their family, not replacing them.”

She urges prospective parents to be team players, to support reunification when possible, and to avoid letting their personal desires interfere with what’s best for the child.

“You have to be willing to work with the family, even if it’s hard.”

A Journey of Purpose

Looking back over her 37-year career, Wanda sees a clear, divinely guided path. Every role, every child, every challenge led her to where she was meant to be. And through it all, her faith, compassion, and steadfast belief in children’s potential never wavered.

“I count it a blessing,” she says, “to have been in those children’s lives. If we only changed the trajectory of one, it was all worth it.”

Wanda Jones retired from Family Support Services this past year, as a Foster Home Recruitment Specialist. Her tireless work, dedication and love for the community shined through everything she did. While we will miss her as a member of FSS, she still works diligently in the community advocating for youth in foster care and youth transitioning out of care.

Interested in learning more about becoming a foster parent? Contact: recruitment@fsssuncoast.org