MANSFIELD ─ Ashantia Ginn joked that foster care is in her blood.
That is why founding her own foster care agency, New Mercy Outreach, was the right thing to do, she said.
In early May, the nonprofit moved into its first physical location at 1221 South Trimble Road after starting operation in November 2019.
Ginn’s parents began fostering with Richland County Children Services when she was 14, she said. The only girl in the family did not only have sisters but also learned to share things with them when growing up with foster siblings.
“Fostering was a part of my life,” Ginn said. “We consider it as a ministry, you know, as helping others.”
Her father, Sylvester Ginn Sr., who is a pastor of Hesed Agape Ministries, used to have children coming over to their house on Saturdays, Ginn said. The pastor would barbecue or get food from other places to feed the children.
That family vibe led Ginn to major in social work at Ashland University and received a bachelor’s degree. In 2008, she graduated from the Ohio State University with a master’s degree in social work.
Ginn said she became a foster parent in 2013 and adopted her cousin, who is 11 years old, around the same time. She now fosters three other young children who are 11 months and 5 years old.
Two of her brothers and three aunts have become foster parents over the years. Even her parents are still fostering, Ginn said.
She said she has been fostering as a single mother. She never got married. Her story might alleviate the concern that singles can’t be good parents, or only rich people can take care of those children.
“The children aren’t asking for much. They just want to be safe. They just want to eat. They want a pillow,” Ginn said.
The foster agency provides reimbursement for foster homes. Ginn said people only need to have adequate income to support themselves.
New Mercy Outreach currently works with almost 20 counties in Ohio, the owner and executive director said. The agency receives 15 to 20 referrals every month and places five children at foster homes on average.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made some foster parents hesitant to take in children, according to Ginn. Last year, she successfully found a temporary home for a one year and a five-year-old child, who both tested positive but were asymptomatic.
Ginn said the children have been rejected by foster homes in other counties before coming to her. She decided to take the risk because she knew the children had nowhere else to go.
“I look at it as having faith. Some people may say it’s foolish, but they need help,” Ginn said.
Using all safety precautions, she picked up and sent the children herself to the foster home so that her employees were not at risk. The children ended up doing fine, she said. The county sending the referral was highly appreciative of her actions.
Ginn has a big goal for her business.
“I want New Mercy to be an ‘umbrella’,” she said. “I don’t want New Mercy to be just seen as solely a foster care agency, but like a ministry. And then I want to pull different branches of services out of that.”
The services will include a youth program, an access to clothes when needed and an enhanced independent living class for foster children of 14 and older to learn skills and knowledge of applying for a job or budgeting.
The first summer youth program will start on June 28 and last until Aug. 13, Ginn said. It takes place at Hesed Agape Ministries from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays. It is also open to eight to 12-year-old children in the community.
She said the children will have fun with recreation activities such as arts and crafts, kickball or other sports games. Devotions have been planned for those who are willing to join. The Cleveland Food Bank will provide breakfast and lunch for the children every day.
For more information about New Mercy Outreach or how to become a foster parent, please check the agency’s website or call 567-303-2449.
