HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — You've probably heard, there's a continuing problem with finding homes to place teens in the foster care system. Hearing that problem, one woman has taken on the matter in a truly amazing way.
"It's my passion," said Donna Neal, a pot of chicken noodle soup on the stove. "I really enjoy cooking."
Donna was only cooking for the people in her home on the night of our visit. It was a whole lot less than how many she's usually feeding.
"It's very busy," she smiled. "I have been working with McDonald's for 26, 27 years."
She's long been the general manager for a Hendersonville McDonald's.
"You have to want to get them in and out," Donna said. "That's why they call it fast food."
For Donna, food is love. On this chicken noodle soup night at home, Donna shared she learned about an area where it seemed her love was needed. With more than 8,000 children in foster care in Tennessee, there has been a continual need for foster parents, especially for teenagers. Claire Moses of Youth Villages said placing teens is always a challenge.
"I think a lot of people are intimidated by the thought of taking teenage foster children into their home," Claire said.
"No one ever wants to deal with the teenagers, so I wanted to deal with the teenagers," Donna added.
Donna had this idea. She'd foster teen girls and offer them jobs at McDonald's. It would be real life job experience.
"She teaches them the value of money," Claire said. "She also teaches them the value of hard work."
"It was a challenge for a lot of them, but when you want it, when you put it in your mind, 'I want this', it can happen," Donna said.
One of the teens fostered by Donna is Kaelyn.
"Me and her just instantly created a bond," Kaelyn said. "At first, that was something that was new. That's not something that I've experienced, getting close to someone. Now, it's something I rely on every day. I call her for anything. We're always talking every day. It's a very good thing to have."
On our visit to her home, Donna was cooking for ten foster children. Over 15 years, she's fostered more than 100 teens. Most of them have worked for her at McDonald's.
"I understand the kids' needs," Donna said. "It made me want to do more."
Donna's just retired from McDonald's. How do you properly say thank you to someone who's done so much?
Youth Villages had an idea.
Donna came into their office, thinking she was only to receive an award. She turned a corner, and a room full of family and friends shouted in unison. "Surprise!"
"She's someone who deserves every second of celebration," Claire said.
"How in the world y'all keep this from me?" Donna said through tears.
It's Donna's pride to hear the children she's fostered are succeeding.
"Well, in college I'm studying to get my business degree," Kaelyn said. "Then I'll just have that as well as doing real estate."
"It makes me feel really great about me pouring into them, and it let me know it do work," Donna said. "You can't give up. You have to keep fighting and fighting. We need to show them, there is hope in tomorrow. We need good parents."
"I can't thank y'all enough, coming out and supporting me," Donna said to the crowd. "Thank y'all."
By the way, even though Donna's retired from McDonald's, she will continue to foster teenage girls.
She said her next goal in life will be to help kids in the foster care system in a new way.
For more about Youth Villages, visit here.
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
My friend and colleague Carrie Sharp had a lot of fun last week, on an adventure to a country more than three thousand miles away! She’s back now – sharing her Adventures in Iceland through stories, and incredible images of this remarkably beautiful and unique island nation (kudos to Chief Photographer Catherine Steward)! But did you know Nashville has something very important in common with Iceland? Tourism! Here, Carrie explains how a volcanic eruption decades ago helped save the country’s economy from collapse!
-Rhori Johnston
