They find homes for more kids

TAMPA - Gospel music sets the atmosphere. Breakfast cooks in the kitchen. All the while, mom checks schoolwork. This is the morning routine at the West household.

"Although it may look a little disorganized the way we do it in the morning, they know exactly what's done at what time," said Aundre West.

This type of family structure is new for Freddie and Keenen. The teenage brothers have lived a hard life. They've been in and out of foster care homes since their mother was unable to take care of them several years ago.

"Previous foster homes that I've been in, they'll tell us that we will never be successful. That we will never make something of life. We're going to be dropouts in high school," said Freddie.

"I was not doing good," Keenen offered. "My grades, I was failing, basically, and getting into a lot of fights."

All that changed when they met Connie and Aundre. They adopted both kids and now they're earning good grades. And more importantly, they're staying out of trouble.

"We kept telling them, we're not going to give up on you. Each time whenever they would go through a situation at school we would be there," Connie and Aundre said.

This new family is exactly what Hillsborough Kids Incorporated stands for, says the program president and CEO, Jeff Rainey. Last year, out of 22 community-based care organizations, they lead Florida in the total number of adoptions.

"A lot of these children don't have mommies are daddies, so it's our job to insure that they find a loving and nurturing home," said Rainey.

And sometimes finding that perfect home is nearly impossible. H.K.I. oversees 2,800 children and teens in Hillsborough County. In some cases, kids age out of the system before they're adopted.

Freedie and Keenen know they're one of the lucky ones.

To learn more about H.K.I. and adoptions, visit their website: www.hillsboroughkids.org .