Meet March’s Featured Respite Provider: Tanya Kruse

Respite Providers are a vital part of caring for children and youth aged birth to 18 experiencing behavioral, emotional, medical, and/or physical challenges. This program is designed to meet specific individual and family needs while maintaining collaboration with other service providers and legal guardians. This valuable service provides families of special needs children the opportunity to balance the many challenges of life. The breaks provided allow family members time to meet their other vital family needs. Providers can be couples, single persons, or families.

As part of an ongoing series, FCC would like to introduce you to March’s featured provider, Tanya Kruse!

Tanya has been a respite provider for 15 years. We asked her a few questions about her experience with the respite program:

What made you want to apply to be a respite provider?
I was a full-time foster parent for many years, but decided to go back to full-time work when my daughter entered middle school. I enjoyed providing care for kids, so I continued doing respite care.

What is your favorite part of being a respite provider?
My favorite part is meeting new kids. It also gives me an excuse to watch superhero movies!

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I enjoy spending time with friends and family, and we spend much of the summer in the pool or on the river. We also spend much time traveling around the world,  seeing new places and meeting new people.

You can help support children and parents by becoming a respite provider today. For more information please contact Kelli Degenhardt at (608) 668-2229 or kdegenhardt@fccnetwork.org.

Learn more about FCC’s community respite program here: https://www.fcconline.org/service/community-respite/.

View more provider highlights from May, June, July, August, September, October, November and February.