This year, LSSNCA’s foster care team hosted the second annual Harmony Heights Retreat, a gathering focused on “Building Healthy Relationships” for foster youth and parents. Held at a peaceful wilderness resort, the retreat offered a safe and supportive space for families to connect, heal, and grow together.
In total, 39 attendees — including foster youth, parents, and staff — participated in the weekend retreat, which was filled with workshops, mindfulness activities, and moments of deep connection.
“The goal for this program is building relationships between foster youth and foster parents. We focused on being trauma-informed and did a lot of mindfulness exercises. Youth were able to open up and have honest conversations, while foster parents shared their experiences and learned from one another,” said Rocio Rodriguez-Morales, director of URM Virginia.
Highlights of the weekend included family quilt-making, where each household designed a quilt that represented them and brought it home as a keepsake; conversation cards, a deck of meaningful questions that encouraged dialogue during meals and game nights; and mindfulness exercises combined with time in nature, which gave families the opportunity to reflect, recharge and build emotional awareness together.
The retreat offered participants a safe space to reflect and be open with one another. One foster youth, who had long struggled with communication, discovered during the retreat that she could express herself more openly with her foster parent. Others shared similar breakthroughs, as the environment created opportunities for honest conversations and self-reflection.
Families also disconnected from technology for the weekend, limiting phone use to be fully present with one another. This simple step made space for deeper conversations and genuine bonding.
Reflection From Foster Parents and Youth
Foster parents said they had the chance to learn from one another, sharing experiences and strategies for overcoming challenges. For some, it was an opportunity to hear from more experienced parents; for others, it was a reminder that they were not alone.
One parent explained why she chose to foster:
“I became a foster parent to give back and provide a healthy space for children in need. Growing up, one of my best friends was in [foster] care and shared horrible stories. I wanted to have a safe home where kids could find their way in life and thrive.”
And further reflected on the most rewarding part of the experience:
“The most rewarding part of being a foster parent is watching kids find their confidence and understand themselves. When you empower kids and give them the tools to succeed, they will.”
Youth also felt the impact. One participant described their foster family as:
“This family for me means a refuge where I feel supported and respected. Here I know I can trust them and feel at home. They make me feel valued and loved, and that is very important to me.”The retreat also built connections across states, with families from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., forming bonds and exchanging numbers to create a lasting support system.
“We want foster parents to have the tools to feel confident and empowered. Since we started building relationships among the families and our staff, our retention rate has increased. Relationships fix a lot of things and Harmony Height is a great way to build that relationship and unite families across the D.C. metro area. I would love to see this continue,” Rocio Rodriguez-Morales said.
About LSSNCA’s Foster Care for Unaccompanied Refugee Minors
Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) provides foster care for youth and unaccompanied refugee minors (URM). With your support we can provide loving and responsible homes for children and youth across the D.C. metro area. Consider opening your heart and home to a youth or a child. LSSNCA offers informational sessions and training to prospective and current foster families, as well as case management and support services to children and youth.
Learn more: Become a foster parent
