As we celebrate National Professional Social Work Month we are highlighting some of our social work staff. Today, meet Calondra!
Calondra is a Functional Family Therapist in the Foster Care department. Like many of FCA’s employees, she started working with the agency as an intern and has now been a full-time staff member for two years.
Every day, Calondra works with foster families, youth in the foster care system, and biological families to help youth meet their goals and achieve permanency. Sometimes that can mean being adopted, reuniting with biological families, or becoming stable and independent adults. Calondra said the best part of her job is making a meaningful impression on those she serves.
“FCA’s work is integral for the community because of its long-lasting impact on our families’ lives. Working in foster care, I have witnessed the direct impact that the FCA has showcased. FCA gives our families a second chance to rewrite their story and make it into what they dream it to be,” she said.
Calondra first entered the field of social work due to her love of kids. She explored many career options that would allow her to work with youth, from daycare worker to therapist, but found social work to be the right fit.
One case she remembers illustrates the impact of her work. Her clients were two sisters who had an instant dislike for Calondra. Entering the foster care system can be traumatic, and the girls struggled to see Calondra in a good light. One girl lashed out with physical and verbal aggression, the other was soft-spoken and reserved.
“But now it’s a whole different thing,” she said.
After working with Calondra, the oldest sister is more open, and even gives hugs. The younger is less aggressive and expresses herself in a healthier way.
“Being a social worker is not easy, but the end goal is definitely rewarding,” she said. “My goal is to make an impact on younger kids because essentially they’re our future, and the only way to fix the future is to start with the present and get them to process and move through their past.”
Thank you, Calondra, for your important work at FCA!
