Over the years, Sonya Woodruff has made her passion for children evident through her efforts in fostering nearly 40 children in her own home through the Newton County Foster Care Program and opening ABC Childcare and Learning Center in 2006.

The mother of four shared what she loves most about working directly with children in the community and what inspired her to open her childcare center.

“I love watching them discover new things and learn about the world around them. At the time of opening the daycare, I had three children. What better job to have than one where you can be with your children?” Woodruff said. “My dad was getting ready to retire and I told him, ‘Daddy, I found a daycare for sale. If you buy it, I’ll run it.’ And so he did.”

Woodruff enjoys building relationships with the families that ABC Childcare and Learning Center services, but noted that the children are her favorite part. 

“If I’m having a bad day, I’ll just go into a classroom, sit [on] the floor and all the children come to me and give me hugs and tell me they love me,” Woodruff said. “It’s the best.”

Additionally, Woodruff, who grew up in Covington, was highly involved with Newton County Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) after a friend who worked there encouraged her to teach classes with her. 

After undergoing the proper training and certification, Woodruff taught classes as part of DFCS’ IMPACT program – a series of classes to aid aspiring foster and adoptive parents in making informed decisions. The classes also teach skills necessary to parent a foster child. 

Woodruff previously served as the president of the Newton County Foster Association for eight years. She also served as a foster parent for approximately 12 years where her family fostered 40 children.

For Woodruff, she credits her reasoning behind becoming a foster parent to God.

“God showed me the path he wanted me to take to build our family,” Woodruff said.

Though she does not foster children anymore, Woodruff yearns to remain an active figure in the lives of foster children by working with the county’s own Alcovy CASA nonprofit organization one day. 

Since fostering, Woodruff now lives “happily” with her husband of almost 31 years, four children, one grandchild and two cats.

Along with shopping and visiting antique stores, Woodruff enjoys spending time with her family and friends at the lake in the community she loves.

“It’s always been home, and it’s where all my people are,” Woodruff said.