Allen Johnson learned the importance of family early in life.

The Pro Stock driver from Greeneville, Tenn., announced on Friday during the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals that he will carry the colors of Foster Care Appreciation Month in conjunction with the locally based Free Will Baptist Family Ministries [FWBFM], a group which provides a shelter for displaced children.

Johnson was introduced to FWBFM as a kid. Then, Johnson recalls, the home was known as an orphanage. It didn’t take Johnson long to understand how blessed he was to have a close-knit family.

“This is something that is near and dear to my heart,” Johnson said. “I grew up with a lot of kids from the Free Will Baptist Family Ministries. They take in a lot of state orphans. Maybe the kids’ parents had been sent to jail and the home tutored them and took care of them until the parents came back.”

Allen Johnson learned the importance of family early in life.

The Pro Stock driver from Greeneville, Tenn., announced on Friday during the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals that he will carry the colors of Foster Care Appreciation Month in conjunction with the locally based Free Will Baptist Family Ministries [FWBFM], a group which provides a shelter for displaced children.

Johnson was introduced to FWBFM as a kid. Then, Johnson recalls, the home was known as an orphanage. It didn’t take Johnson long to understand how blessed he was to have a close-knit family.

“This is something that is near and dear to my heart,” Johnson said. “I grew up with a lot of kids from the Free Will Baptist Family Ministries. They take in a lot of state orphans. Maybe the kids’ parents had been sent to jail and the home tutored them and took care of them until the parents came back.”

Johnson remembers the times his family would take in some of the displaced children, if only to provide a semblance of what a family is like. He’ll always remember the pain he saw in their faces.

“It is probably tough to relate to what they are going through,” Johnson said. “I grew up with quite a few of the orphans and my mom even brought a few of them to the house from time to time.”

Johnson said his mother's favorite time to bring one of kids into the home was at Christmastime.

“She just always wanted to share with those who didn’t have anything,” Johnsons said. “This is something that people should get behind and help those children feel better about life.”

Johnson conducted a gathering on Friday afternoon at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals aimed at bringing awareness to foster parenting as a means of healing the hurts in these displaced children.

He visits the FWBFM home a couple of times during the year and finds it hard to fight back the emotions.

“It’s hard not to get choked up,” Johnson admits. “I usually take my kids with me because I want them to see and understand how fortunate we are to have family. It’s not hard to get inspired to support a program this worthy.”

Dr. James S. Kilgore, Director of the FWBFM, believes the introduction of the foster parenting cause to the drag racing community works as a huge positive.

“We are so appreciative for what Allen Johnson has done for us,” Kilgore said. “This is beyond what we could imagine in terms of bringing awareness.”

The timing is perfect because May is Foster Care Appreciation month.

“We are thanking all of the foster families who have stepped forward to become foster families,” Kilgore added. “There is a tremendous need for foster families.

“We are running this program because every teenager deserves a family so we are asking for couples to be families to these hurting boys and girls.”

For more information, visit the home’s website at http://www.fwbfm.com/ .  

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