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“I was shown that love has no boundaries and whether you have a mental disability or a physical disability, it doesn't matter because love comes from within you,” says Terrell.

Terrell's compassion shows. He talks to groups of prospective foster parents, like the one at New Alternatives for Children, or NAC.

Terrell has cerebral palsy and was placed with a foster family at the age of four, and adopted by them at 16.

He credits NAC with helping him in the past.

Now, he's giving back.

“He is going around to other agencies even in our own training here and getting parents to understand that they can do this, that they can become a great foster or adoptive parent,” says Arlene Goldsmith, executive director of NAC.

Terrell shares his story with prospective parents about three times a month, and it’s inspired him to get his masters in social work this fall.

“If you can love, you can be a foster parent—that's all it really is at the end of the day. But when you see someone like Terrell and you see the positive effects of what you are doing, there are no challenges,” says Aziza Reid, a foster parent.

According to the Administration for Children's Services, pregnant teens, young moms, and children with disabilities are the hardest groups to place in foster care. Terrell is hoping to change that.

“I think some parents who thought they could never parent a child with a disability, when he speaks to them, i think they change their minds and say yes,” says Goldsmith.

“This is my way of giving back and this is my mission. I want this to be somewhat of a career for me, because I think it’s important for children to know they can have this opportunity like I had and to show them that they can develop to be some great individual in this world,” says Terrell.

For helping to find families for people just like him, Terrell Thomas-Chukwujiorah is the latest New Yorker of the Week.

For more information, call 212-696-1550 or visit NACkidscan.org.