Arnetta’s Journey to Texas
How many journeys is Arnetta Verne' Knight going to have? Umm?
Arnetta has always been a person who lands on her feet! She said it’s because of her parents and those individuals that were part of her Village.
In 2006, she discovered Dallas, Texas. Texas was a place to start her Jazz café restaurant.
Arnetta said that her goals were to open it in Arizona, but the licensing was just too expensive. She and her daughter, who’s her best friend and business partner, felt that Dallas, Texas had the weather they liked and the opportunities they were seeking.
They came several times to Dallas, Texas to purchase a new home but they never were able to find that home that hit their niche for them. They almost moved to Raleigh, North Carolina. Paulette told her mother, “Mother let’s go to Dallas, Texas one more time.”
On that last day of their visit they happened to hear a radio announcer talking about an auction for foreclosures properties, that was being held on that day. Arnetta wasn’t excited about seeing any foreclosures, but after seeing Paulette’s face and her saying “Mommy, let’s check it out.” She said to Paulette, “Do you really want to go?” Paulette responded, “Yes” and away they went.
Arnetta said that the auction requirements were you had to have a business check, which they had. They also had the funds to cover the bid, after all they were in Dallas, Texas to buy a house. Once arriving at the auction they were surprised to see there were over a hundred people, ready to bid on properties. Once they registered they were given a brochure of the foreclosed homes that were being auctioned. Once they looked over the brochure, they happen to see several homes they had previously seen.
Once the biding started, the biding came up for one of the homes they liked but hadn’t looked inside. Arnetta had always said to her customers, “Never buy a house sight unseen.” Well she said, “Here I was biding on a house sight unseen!”
A lady sitting behind Arnetta and Paulette began to bid on the same property that Arnetta had started bidding on. The lady leaned over to Anretta and asked her to stop bidding on that particular property that they were bidding on. Arnetta looked at her daughter and asked her, “Do you want this property?” Paulette responded, “Yes, mommy, I do.” Arnetta told the lady, “Sorry, my daughter wants this property. “ Arnetta proceeded to outbid the lady and they were able to win the bid for that particular property, as well as, another property.
Arnetta called the realtor, who was working with them at the time. She asked the realtor if she could show them the property that day. The realtor responded, “YES.” Once seeing the inside of the first property they won the bid on (which became their home) Arnetta and her daughter fell in love with the property, even though it needed a lot of work.
Arnetta was confronted by her new neighbors, who were not happy about her winning the bid on her new home. Arnetta had bought the house for a much lower price than the rest of the neighborhood had paid for their homes. After all this affected their comps.
Arnetta and her daughter went back-and-forth at least eight times with their Arizona wagon, moving their things. What Renaissance women they are!
Arnetta and her daughter first hired a contractor, only to find out he didn’t want to follow their instructions nor come as promised. He felt it was okay to come at 12 noon. They fired their contractor and did what two Renaissance women would do, they did it themselves with the help of their cousin and two men they found.
Arnetta said that her cousin and daughter and herself slept on rubber air mattresses. They painted a 3900 sq. ft. home. They said it had been hard work, but they stated they never ran from hard work always towards it.
Once the house was done they were happy! One day they were in Wal-Mart, early in the morning, when they ran into a lady with four little girls from the ages of 5 to 6. One of the little girls ran into them. Arnetta said to the lady, “Here is your baby.” The lady responded, “No, they are foster children!” Um…
After having a conversation with the lady, she wanted to hire Arnetta’s daughter to edit her grant. Paulette invited her to their home in Desoto, Texas.
Once the lady came to their home, the lady asked Paulette to think about becoming a foster parent. On the last visit the lady gave Paulette a pamphlet about a foster care agency and becoming a foster parent.
On one of Arnetta’s trips back to Arizona, she received a call from an agency called Olympus House, the owner of the agency asked Arnetta if she could contact her once she was back in Dallas, Texas. Arnetta kept saying, “No way!”
Once Arnetta and Paulette returned to Dallas, the lady called again. Arnetta invited the owner of Olympus House to her home. Within one visit Arnetta was hooked. Wow, here this Renaissance woman goes, again!
Within a month, Arnetta and Paulette's paper work and background check had been completed. Once again the owner was calling her and her daughter while they were in Arizona, to ask her to please look at her email with the boys’ profiles. In the email there were profiles of 3 male youth, ages from 15 – 17.
The owner called again after 6 hours to give her the okay to place these boys in Arnetta’s home. Arnetta and Paulette felt they were up to the task, but they had never taken care of that many boys at one time.
The boys’ profiles reflected that the boys would appeared to need care, love and someone who could give them a structure environment and understanding life style. Arnetta said this hooked her and her daughter.
After all being in a large 5-bedroom house, two boys could share a bedroom. So Arnetta and her daughter came back quickly to Dallas, Texas. Once Arnetta and her daughter came back to Dallas, Texas they decorated the boys’ rooms, with computers in each room, two twin beds in each bedroom, they put pictures on the walls and put warm bedspreads on the beds. Arnetta and Paulette purchased these items on their way back to Texas; baseball and football equipment, tennis rackets and educational books; reading and math.
Here goes a lady that cares and wants to give back to her community. Thank you, Arnetta, for opening up your home and your heart. Arnetta and her daughter were doing such a great job with their boys they were given three more boys. Wow! Arnetta was offered a job to work in the agency office, to help with paperwork! You go, Arnetta, you have so much wisdom to give!
The youth stayed with Arnetta and Paulette throughout the summer until around September, 2008, when Olympus House closed. Arnetta and the boys’ hearts were torn apart when the agency was closed down, unannounced. This closing was unknown by all of the foster parents in the agency. The state of Texas’ policy is that if a foster parent is with an agency that closes down, that foster parent needs to find another agency to be licensed with, quickly.
Arnetta gave her boys understanding about life and religious based foundation. Arnetta cared for a youth that had Aids, which the agency never told her. Nonetheless she was willing to adopt this youth.
One day the State came, unannounced, and took the boys way. The boys left with tears in their eyes. Arnetta and her daughter’s hearts were torn apart. Wow!
Arnetta’s minister was very instrumental in helping Arnetta find another foster care agency. Arnetta informed me that Olympus House’s owner gave her some words of wisdom. The owner said that most foster care agencies in Texas have a lot of issues with homes that are structure and with foster parents who have a lot going for their selves. Arnetta discovered that this was a true statement.
Arnetta and her daughter were mandated by the foster care agencies to:
1. Pay each youth $10.00 a week for their allowance, even if the boys were being disrespectful or not following the rules in school.
2. Pay $40.00 a month for clothing for each youth.
3. The foster parents had to give the youth 40 hours a week of recreation. Wow! How many parents do that for their own children?
4. Also, deal with agencies that tell you at the last minute that the youth have doctor’s appointments. Don’t they know in advance when foster kids are scheduled for appointments or do they care? After all, they are unconcern about the foster parents schedule.
Arnetta and her daughter kept daily journals on each of the youth. Arnetta said that this helped them do all the paper work that was required monthly, to be given to the agencies.
Arnetta and her daughter were known to be very efficient in their paperwork, ALWAYS. As well as, being prompt and timely with turning in their reports. Arnetta was told many times that her files were given to CPS, Child Protective Services, whenever they would come out to inspect the foster care agency. Wow, that makes since, since she is a very efficient person with policies and procedures. You go ladies!
Here she goes again, being efficient and a great caring person to the needy!
Arnetta said she became known for not being judgmental of her boys’ religious and sexual orientation. She had gay youth and those that were outwardly transgender. Arnetta also stated that she had a mixture of Caucasian, African-American, Asian, Native Americans, Mexican and Hispanic male youth.
Arnetta, after being in foster care from 2008 – 2013, had to get out of the foster care system. Arnetta stated that she truly enjoyed working with the youth, but she had to come out of the foster care system in Texas, because the agencies she was dealing with were not supportive to their foster parents. Being a Renaissance woman, with a journey from New York by way of Arizona and to Texas. Her life experiences far out way most!
Arnetta and her daughter were paid by the agencies only $22 a day, for each youth. If they would have submitted monthly progress reports that stated the youth were acting out and taking a lot more psyche meds then they would’ve been paid $1,200 a month, per youth. Arnetta and her daughter just weren’t willing to do that. The youth’s trust and respect meant far more to them then a dollar!
Arnetta felt that when an agency was upset with her and her daughter they would remove the youth and place them in another home or lower the stipend they would receive.
What kind of system is that?
Arnetta stated that she is a prodigy of her grandmother. She stated her grandmother would take kids in from off the streets of Jacksonville, Florida and wash them up and comb or braid their hair. Arnetta’s grandmother would, also, put clean clothes on them. Arnetta, you do have a great heart. It’s a shame that the powers to be can’t understand the needs of the youth of today.
Arnetta said her cousin who works for IRS stated that non-profit organizations have no business with money left over at the end of their fiscal year. Arnetta feels that if you look into the agencies’ books, you will see that they are quite rich for non- profit organizations. Not all have been in business as long as they have stated they have been. Arnetta’s proud that she’s who she says she is and what she is about.
Wow, what a journey they have been on!
