Lee Marshall Helps Kids Find Love

Lee Marshall, a popular anchor at WAFF 48, has made a difference in the lives of hundreds of children through her Kids to Love program. Recently Valley Babies was able to learn more from Lee about her passion for these very special children.

VB: What led you to begin the Kids to Love Foundation?
Lee: At 6 weeks old I was adopted through the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home. Growing up I always knew I was adopted; my parents told me at a young age I was a chosen child, and I believe that. I believe before I took my first breath outside my birth mother’s womb, that God has his hand on my life and a plan for my life.

In November Kids to Love will celebrate 10 years on the air on WAFF 48 News. However, in 2003 I felt God calling me to do more. I had come to know so many of these great kids that just had basic needs. I also was in a position on the community to be a voice for these waiting children.
In November of 2003 I was in Washington to receive an Adoption Awareness award from the US Department of Health and Human Services. On the flight back to Huntsville I sat beside a business man; he introduced himself and told me that he and his wife Cheri go to church with Jeff and me at Willowbrook. He said he had heard me share about adoption through my testimony and singing. We talked about foster care, and the need. He told me to let him know if he could ever do anything. I told him that he could pray for me.

I had already surrendered to God my wiliness to serve. My prayer had been for him to bring the right people along beside me to give me guidance, direction, and council, and to remove those who would stand in the way of fulfilling His plan. I told my seatmate of my desire to serve and the opportunity God had given me to be a voice, adding, “I need a way.”
He said, “You need a nonprofit foundation.”
I replied, “I don’t know anything about running a nonprofit foundation; how would I even get started?”
He said, “My job is business development.” His name is Scott Butler, with Beason & Nalley. In that moment, on a flight from Washington to Huntsville, God laid out the vision for the Kids to Love Foundation.

Kids to Love incorporated in January 2004. In the past 5 years, we have had a direct impact on the lives of more than 100,000 foster children.

We do that through the following programs:

Bibles – to date we have given more than 8,000 Bibles to foster children showing them a heavenly family when their early father has failed them.
College Scholarships - Kids to Love sees the value in investing in the life of a child TODAY when we can make a difference in their future. One of the biggest ways we do that is through education. To date Kids to Love has awarded 99 college scholarships to local foster children, since 2004. We have foster children that are studying a gamut of careers: from carpenters to counselors, from doctors to dental hygienist. We are so excited about the difference our investment is making in the lives of these children who otherwise would not be able to afford a chance at a higher education.
School Supplies – seeing the value of investing in education, the Kids to Love Foundation’s school supply drive is a huge part of our energy and effort to serve foster children. Each child receives a backpack full of grade appropriate school supplies that prepares them to enter the classroom ready to learn. For many children, the backpack we give them is the first one they have ever received! To date we have provided more than 11,000 backpacks full of school supplies for foster children.
Christmas for the Kids - If we didn’t take on the amazing job of granting Christmas wish lists to local foster children, they would go without. Our goal is to show these children the reason for the season. Each child fills out a wish list, including clothes and toys. Many who have never celebrated Christmas will put simple items like a shirt, coat or socks on their wish list, because basic items are just a wish. With the help of our community, individuals, businesses, schools and churches, we are able to fill each child’s list with just what they wished for. It takes HUNDREDS of volunteers to make this happen. The best thing about it is that we do it for the right reason, with an attitude and heart to serve. It’s not every day you get to be one of Santa’s elves! The children never even know we exist! To date more than 4,000 Christmas wish lists have been provided for thanks to the support of our community.
Meth Orphan Program - One of the biggest reasons for the growing number of children in foster care is the fact that their parents use and abuse drugs. Methamphetamine is the drug preferred by many. When meth is used in a home, everything in the home is contaminated. So when a child is removed from the home they are unable to take anything with them due to contamination. As that child goes into foster care, Kids to Love steps in to help. Through our Meth Orphan Program we have clothed and fed 71 Meth Orphans to date.
See Meth Stop Meth Tip Line - When we saw the dangers of children living in these dangerous labs, we realized we had to step in to help rescue them. In November of 2005, Kids to Love launched the See Meth Stop Meth Tip Line (1-866-303-METH). Since launching the tip line we have received more than 1,000 tips, nearly 700 reporting children in these labs. We work with law enforcement and DHR; as a result nearly 500 arrests have been made.

VB: How many kids have you all helped find foster homes?
Lee: In November Kids to Love will celebrate 10 years on the air on WAFF 48 News. Since that time we have profiled 212 Alabama foster children /195 of those have found forever families. I started the Kids to Love segment because I know firsthand the difference a forever family can make.

In August of 2008 we launched our Kids to Love Segment on WSFA – the NBC affiliate in Montgomery.
(This was made possible because the parent company of both stations, Raycom Media, saw the value of finding forever families for children living in foster care in the state of Alabama.)

In 2008 we launched an application on our website www.kidstolove.org where we can track which child someone is requesting information about, and how they heard about Kids to Love and our adoption / foster care efforts. Those inquiries also go directly to state DHR officials who send information out immediately and then follow up in the appropriate county.

VB: What is the greatest misconception that people have about foster children?
Lee: That foster children are different than your children. I have people tell me all the time, “That child doesn’t look like a foster child.”

VB: Tell us about your music ministry. How do you use that to raise awareness about the need for foster parents?
Lee: I have been singing all of my life. In 2004 I released my first CD entitled “Anchored.” In 2006 I released my second CD entitled “My Source.” Music is my heart, and I use it to help fund my passion to meet the immediate needs of these great kids! My singing and speaking ministry is the primary fundraising source for the Kids to Love Foundation. So if you need a speaker for Women’s Conferences, Churches, Civic Organizations, I would love to come and share about our ministry!

VB: What can Valley Babies readers do to help?
Lee: One of the biggest needs we have is foster and adoptive families for the more than 6,000 children in foster care in Alabama. Log onto to the website for more information

Our next major project is School Supplies; you can drop those off at WAFF 48 News, or A Nurturing Moment. We also need volunteers; if you are interested, e-mail us .