“Mommy’s here,” said the sweet, tender-voiced Linda Acoff, as she consoled her two-week old foster baby crying in a nearby room. “It’s going to be okay.”

An estimated 463,000 children are in foster care today according to child welfare statistics, and each year the number increases. With many children without parental supervision and adequate care, these children need someone to love them unselfishly.

Linda and her husband William have shown unselfish love to their many children for more than eight years. Caring for eight children from the area, the couple helped to reunite them with estranged parents and family members.

Adoption efforts for the Acoffs began when the couple wanted to adopt their then 11-month old granddaughter after there were problems in the child’s home.

“She was placed in foster care and when the Department of Human Resources told us about it, we decided to go through the process in getting her,” Linda said. “We took a 20-week course and took training classes here. It was wonderful.”

Linda, a retired Head Start employee for more than 20 years from New York, met her Selma-native husband before returning back to Selma in the early 2000s. The Acoff’s, who have five children — three sons Paul, David and Corey and two daughters, Teresa and Michelle, have recently finalized the adoption of their two-year-old daughter in January. The blended family, Linda said, is extremely close.

“We’ve always gotten along and never had any issues,” Linda said. “We’re used to having a lot of family around and travelling everywhere together.”

As Christians, Linda and William feel it’s their godly duty to give a child a safe living environment.

“We’ve always found that whatever we find our hands to do we must do it as unto the Lord,” Linda said. “We’ve had several children over the course of seven years come in and out of our home, and we just want to be a support system for parents and their children. That’s how we’re giving back to the community.”

The Acoff’s currently have a newborn in their home waiting for parent reconciliation. Linda said for her, adoption has been a wonderful and rewarding experience.

“When we had the opportunity to adopt, we had the space and we just couldn’t say no,” Linda said. “It’s a blessing to see the progress of a child and see them come together with their families. We still see the children frequently and they still visit us with their families. We’re very much a part of their lives.

“The children touch our hearts and it’s hard to let them go at times,” Linda said. “We’re all a big family.”

Because of taking children in, William and his wife said they are much closer.

“With our natural kids grown and out of the house, we have more kids around and it helps us be there for one another and to bond,” William said. “We’ve had children from babies on up and when she’s [Linda] up at 3 a.m., I’m up at 5 a.m.

“You keep the children for weeks and months or even years sometimes and it all depends on what the parents decide to do,” William said. “It doesn’t work if there ain’t love.”

And for those who may be skeptical, Linda suggests doubters should consider the advantages of being a foster parent.

“Many people I’ve spoken to are encouraged to get involved in the adoption process,” Linda said.

“Just read the newspapers and think about the children who are struggling or who are without parents.

“We’ve all made mistakes, and we all have problems. No child should have to suffer,” Linda said.

“I don’t see how anyone can think that foster care is unnecessary because it’s so important.”