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There are hundreds of children in the Guilford County foster care system, and not all of them are being placed in the homes that best fit their needs.

There are 513,000 American children and youths in foster care, of which more than 400 are in Guilford County. But there are only 129 licensed foster care families.

Many in the community have already made their contributions without qualms.

Monica and Channing Smith of High Point have housed four children over the past four years.

"It's been an incredibly rewarding (experience)," Monica Smith said. "I've been really amazed at how rewarding it's been for us, our son and the community."

However, Monica Smith said she does believe that there is a need for more volunteers.

"I think mainly right now, the community needs to see what a positive experience it can be. (In the beginning) I couldn't imagine doing this, and now I couldn't imagine going without being a foster parent."

Pam and Alvin Tonkins of Greensboro have been foster parents for the past 17 years. They have adopted seven of the nine children they've brought into their home.

"We mainly got involved in foster care because we wanted to give back, and we knew that if we had a lot of biological children we wouldn't have the resources, time or energy (to do that)," Pam Tonkins said.

The Tonkins' said they have enjoyed being foster parents.

"People often say that they admire us, but I admire the kids," Tonkins added. "We're giving (our home) to them, but it's harder to come live with a family that they don't know."

Guilford County's Department of Social Services' goal when it takes a child out of an unsafe or unhealthy environment is to place the child in a similar neighborhood, with a similar culture and a similar strength of family. Because of the limited number of foster families, the department cannot always do that. As a result, some children have to switch schools.

"We try to give foster parents incentives for keeping (the kids) in the same school, but sometimes the foster parents are unable to transport them, so they have to change schools," said Katrina McMasters of the Family Recruitment Unit of the DSS.

Guilford DSS is recruiting foster families for Guilford County, so the agency can successfully place children into a best-fit home.

If you would like to help by volunteering your home and care, call the foster care recruitment line at 641-5318.

Contact Lili Johnson at 412-5929 or lili.johnson@news-record.com.