Bonus Babies
The Anthem Award winning BONUS BABIES podcast is the only one of its kind that features the compelling true-life hard-hitting stories of those with a lived foster care experience and the people who care for them––all via the unique 360* lens of a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer. Through raw first-hand accounts, BONUS BABIES reveals the daunting complexity of the foster care world while documenting the challenges, failures and successes of the system as well as the people and the agencies involved. The creator and host, Jayne Amelia Larson, is a CASA - a Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer for youth in foster care. In the same way a CASA works, she explores all things in the foster care maze by talking to kids, parents, caregivers, attorneys, social workers, therapists, adoptees, adoptive parents, members of community and social programs...anybody and everybody who will speak to her to keep the conversation open and the information flowing about all things CASA––to give a forum to help people understand what it's like to have a lived foster care experience. Original music by Christina Apostolopoulos. Emma Karpman is our Social Media Manager. Audio engineering and mixing by Adam "Yukon" Harr of Blue Oak Mastering. Executive Producer is Jake Eberle. Cover art by John Crowther.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 50 minutes
- Episodes
- 100
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
Renee Santos
Jayne Amelia Larson talks with performer and former foster youth, Renée Santos. Renée is a fierce multi-hyphenate performer — actor, writer, comedian — whose work lives at the intersec…
Mark Daley: How Do We Address The Smoke Rising From Families
Jayne Amelia speaks with social activist, entrepreneur, and foster turned adoptive father, Mark Daley. Mark has over two decades of experience in message development, communication stra…
Greg Brake: Foster Warriors 24-Hour Challenge
Jayne Amelia speaks with Greg Brake, the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Foster Warriors. Greg has built companies including a 200+ person legal & technology team that have handled…
Andrew Bridge: Tear It Down
Jayne Amelia speaks with attorney, child advocate, and bestselling author Andrew Bridge. Andrew spent 11 years in Los Angeles County foster care, before earning a scholarship to Wesleya…
Alexis Longmire: I Made Me, Who I Am Today, I Did This
Jayne Amelia speaks with former foster youth Alexis Longmire who is an entrepreneur and fashionista. Lex is a fashion journalist, stylist, traveling wardrobe consultant and a proud Los …
Shimeka Lott: The People Coming In For The Rescue Don't Need to Be Perfect But Need To Operate With A Perfect Heart
Jayne Amelia speaks with former foster mom, Shimeka D. Lott. Shimeka is the visionary Founder and CEO of the Ashlynn B. Jackson Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifti…
Greg Rosenmerkel: I Am Glad That I Can Try To Help A Little Bit
Part II - Jayne Amelia talks with Colonel (Retired) Gregory J. Rosenmerkel who is a CASA in Colorado and was recently assigned a sibling set of three boys. Rosie grew up in Waukesha, WI…
Nicole Goswami : Your Daughter Will Always Know You
Jayne Amelia talks with foster mom, Nicole Goswami, hoping to adopt a baby who she has raised since weeks old. Nicole does many things but most importantly a foster mom. This is her fi…
Greg Rosenmerkel: Based On Our Life Experience We Tend To Think What The Necessary Elements Are For A Child's Physical and Emotional Safety, And They're Not The Same
Jayne Amelia talks with Colonel (Retired) Gregory J. Rosenmerkel who is a new CASA in Colorado and about to start his CASA training. Rosie grew up in Waukesha, WI and earned his commis…
Christine Goddard: I Now Realize Why You Were There Always In My Life
Jayne Amelia speaks with CASA Christine Goddard shortly after the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles took the foster home of her CASA kiddo as well as her bio family's home.
Christine Goddard, ha…
Danisha Keating: What Purpose Do You Have, What Passions Do You Have That We Can Encourage
Jayne Amelia speaks with former foster youth and now child advocate Dr. Danisha Keating. In this conversation, Danisha shares her challenging journey from being a child in the foster ca…
Jeanette Yoffe: You Need To Go Into The Grief, Into The Loss, Into The Trauma To Heal
Jayne Amelia speaks with Jeanette Yoffe, M.A., M.F.T., who is a therapist specializing in adoption and foster care and the Director and Founder of Celia Center, the non-profit she named…
Glenda Wright: I Don't Match A Stereotype
Jayne Amelia speaks with former foster youth, advocate and attorney Glenda Wright. Glenda recently graduated from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law, where she received her Juris Doctor…
Dr. Bruce Sogolow: Children Do Everything They Do To Try To Meet A Need
Jayne Amelia speaks with therapist Dr. Bruce Sogolow. Dr. Bruce has been a psychotherapist for nearly 40 years. He relates that “There was a kind of inevitability that led to my practi…
Warren Press: Elizabeth And I Are The Ones Who Are Unbelievably Lucky To Get To Be Their Parents
Jayne Amelia speaks with her friend and (very loving and proud) adoptive parent, Warren Press. Warren lives in Los Angeles with his wife Elizabeth Mestnik and their 14-year-old son and …
Rachel Elovitz: I Am Going To Do A Damn Good Job Because I Genuinely Care
Jayne Amelia speaks with guardian ad litem and child advocate/attorney, Rachel Aliza Elovitz. Rachel has worked as a family law attorney for more than 27 years. In that capacity, she …
Tige Charity: There's No Greater Agony Than Bearing An Untold Story Inside You
Jayne Amelia speaks with the powerhouse founder of Kids in The Spotlight, Tige Charity. In Tige's words: As a visionary with a strong faith & a passion for serving others, I have devo…
Romi Lassaly and Pat McCabe : One Caring Person Can Make All The Difference
Jayne Amelia speaks with Romi Lassally and Patrick McCabe, co-founders of Ready To Succeed which has supported college bound students impacted by foster care or “scholars” (as they cal…
Chrisie Morris: I Will Not Let The Darkness Change My Heart
Jayne Amelia speaks with artist and animator, and former foster youth Chrisie Morris. Chrisie is a junior at Cal State University Long Beach pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Art in Illustr…
Gavin Glynn: You Have Get Them To Trust
Jayne Amelia speaks with single foster dad and entertainment producer Gavin Glynn. Gavin and his then partner fostered to adopt a young boy, then Gavin went on to foster a foursome si…