Patricia McCollum (Ms. Pat) was an Ohio child welfare trainer and a foster and adoptive parent. She fostered over 100 children, and was the type of advocate who always showed up to support. Above are photos of her at the 2010 and 2012 SW Ohio Thanksgiving Together events in Cincinnati.
In the words of one caseworker:
"The first time I met Miss Pat was after midnight when I showed up at her door with the most difficult client of my career. He was a 13 year old boy with a horrific past, had just been removed from his Nth foster home, and his only options for the night were the office, the psych ER, or this random foster mom’s house. Miss Pat said yes without hesitation and agreed to keep him as long as he needed. To my knowledge, she never said no to a child if she had an empty bed."
In the words of another:
"I have personally worked with several young adults that were from her home. Ms. Pat treated every child in her home as family and that didn't stop when a child left her home. The whole McCollum family embraced the foster community and children. This is a great loss for everyone touched by her and for the whole community."