John DeGarmo Publishes Book on Fostering Children

Local man John DeGarmo wears many hats. He is a media specialist at both Jasper County High and Middle Schools, writes a bi-weekly column, “Let’s Hit the Dirt,” about his expert gardening skills and tips, public speaker, foster parent and does much, much more.

This week he adds one more hat to his head, and title to his name…Dr. DeGarmo is now a published author with the release of his book, Fostering Love: One Foster Parent’s Journey. In his book John writes about the trials and tribulations, the laughs, the tests, and the daily lives that he and his wife, Kelly, along with their three biological children incorporate with foster children, both boys and girls, from ages two days old to 17. A majority of the children that come into the DeGarmo home are from broken homes with harmful environments—be it physical, emotional, etc., he said.

I had the chance to sit down with John, and get a bit of insight about the book first hand.

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Mr. DeGarmo was an English teacher for 10 years. He recently earned his doctorate and his dissertation was on foster care for children.

The book, according to John, was about his own personal experiences in the foster care system. It takes actual events that have taken place in his first nine years as a foster family and puts them in writing. He uses the perspective of himself as the parent and the stories form from how each experience affected him and his own children.

When asked about his background, John told me that his family had been fostering since 2002. He said that the care began after extensive, continuous training and education. He also said that there were extensive background checks and even after that he played the waiting game for almost a year.

He said that his biological children were ages five, three, and two, when the first foster child arrived. He noted that fostering affected the entire household, that “some days were easy, but not all of them.”

Once a child is placed into foster care, the biological parents have up to a year to reclaim that child. After a year the parental rights are terminated and the search for other immediate and then secondary family members takes places as they have the first choice to take in the children.

The book is written in first person and reflects real life. It is a book about children suffering from abuse. Neglect. Malnutrition. Even drug-related problems passed on from a mother’s addiction. Children rejected by those who were to love them most, their parents.

When placed into a foster home, many of these children carry with them the physical and emotional scars that prevent them from accepting the love of another. Through the sleepless nights with drug-addicted babies, the battles with angry teens and the tears from such tremendous sadness, John writes about the journey he undertakes, and how it changes him. This is a story of heartbreak, sadness, and ultimately love. It is a book that anyone who has a love for children should read. It is a also a book for anyone who enjoys a good and inspiring true life story.

Dr. DeGarmo hopes that readers of Fostering Love “get a better understanding of the system and a desire to help those in need. There are so many children today that need extra attention and a kind word.” John says that fostering is the hardest thing that he has ever done. Most of the children find it hard to love and to accept love from another.

The book was released Monday, Aug. 6 and can be purchased as a bound volume or electronically from sites such as Crossbooks.com or Amazon.com. It is currently ranked as one of the top hot new releases in inspiration and spirituality on Amazon.com.

Dr. DeGarmo will sell copies at a book signing, but a date has yet to be determined. Dr. DeGarmo is a advocate for fostering children and has magazine articles published almost every other month in several publications. He also speaks at foster care forums around the state.

If you wish to contact Dr. DeGarmo, you can find him on facebook page Dr. John DeGarmo, or his personal webpage is www.drejohndrgarmo.com or e-mail him drjohndegarmo@gmail.com. His website has links to a wealth of resources and information on fostering and answers questions on the process and experiences.