Rob Scheer and his husband have adopted four children from foster care. A photo of the family, prompted backlash and hate mail, stirring a national controversy.Comfort Cases, a charity based in Maryland and Prince William County, which provides backpacks, pajamas and personal hygiene items to foster children, has recently become the focus of a national controversy, bringing the charity into the limelight.
The controversy began when members of the One Million Mom’s group and some others protested a feature American Girl Magazine’s published on the founder’s adopted daughter, Amaya, 11, and her involvement in Comfort Cases. The article brought hate mail, phone calls and emails directed at Amaya’s family, the Scheers, because of a photo depicting her family and two adopted fathers.
Some protested, saying that American Girl was promoting a gay agenda among children, but others were more cruel in their response, directing their vitriol at the Scheer family.
According to Comfort Cases Founder, Rob Chasteen-Scheer, that was not what the article was even about.
“If you look at the article, the article never mentions that she has two gay dads,” Scheer explained that the article was focused on Amaya’s work with the charity.
Rob Chasteen-Scheer, founder of Comfort Cases, grew up in Prince William. Scheer remembers being a homeless teenager in Manassas, moving with nothing but a trash bag filled with a few possessions. His experiences are one reason he adopted his own children from foster care. It is also what led him to found Comfort Cases.
“I was a homeless teenager, 17, living in Manassas, and I remember carrying my trash bag around. Then, my children came with their trash bag. It’s unacceptable what a rich country we are that we allow our children to carry trash bags,” Scheer said.
Over the last three years, Comfort Cases has held several packing parties within the western Prince William and Manassas. The focus of the parties has always been the charity, and Comfort Cases has been embraced by almost everyone, including conservative county leaders and religious organizations.
It was not what Scheer had expected.
“I was kind of surprised,” said Scheer, “at how they have embraced me back again, knowing how conservative Virginia is and Prince William County. My view on Prince William County is so different, now.”
When Amaya’s American Girl article started receiving negative attention, Scheer’s first instinct was to protect his family. He decided to not answer the phone until the whole thing blew over. But, his children did not like that approach.
Amaya told him, “Daddy, you told us to stand up to things we know are not right.” She repeated what her fathers’ said, saying, “that’s not the way we live our lives. We’re the Scheer family. We lead by example. We hold our heads up high.”
While the Scheers had to withstand ugly accusations (even one woman who said that Scheer and his husband must surely rape their children), they have also been given the opportunity to tell their story.
“It’s been amazing,” said Sheer, who was a guest on an episode of The View Monday morning, “We have so many people wanting to start Comfort Cases chapters in their states,” he said.
By Friday, Comfort Cases had already heard from 30 people in different locations around the United States. It has gotten to the point that Scheer feels he should thank those who attacked him.
“I want to thank One Million Moms. I want to thank them for getting people to talk about foster care and for bringing foster families to the forefront. If it takes bashing my husband and I, and the fact that we raise four African American kids, you know, it's okay, because everyone is talking about foster care now, and that is what we need to do.”
Sheer thinks it might seem strange to people who preach family values to meet a family fathered by two men. He wants to let people know “we’re just like everyone else.”
“People who stood against gay marriage, a lot of it is because they haven’t gotten to know any gay people. I stood in that auditorium [in Bristow] and there were men who gave me hugs who have probably never spoken to a gay person in their lives,” Scheer said. “People react and to fear and love, and for it’s fear because it’s fear of the unknown.”
Scheer said he chose not move his family to Virginia because he did not want his children to face hate and fear aimed at their family. However, since he started Comfort Cases, he has appreciated all of the support he has received from Prince William County.
“That is my home; that is where I was raised; that is where I started my journey. I am so blessed for all the love I am receiving. I thank the Prince William County Public school system, so many teachers from elementary school, middle school and high school have shaped me to be the man I am today. They took the time to say ‘you matter’ to a kid who was brought up in foster care, without them who knows how I would have ended up.”
Scheer also wanted to thank everyone in Northern Virginia who donated or gave of their time and the money they have received through the Gainesville-Haymarket Rotary and everyone else who has been supportive.
“I would say that our community, Northern Virginia has been very generous in the response to the packing parties. We’ve had over 225 people at our packing parties to volunteer. It’s families, which is wonderful, because these kids can really relate to who they are putting these cases together for. We have a very generous community.”
Comfort Cases is having a packing party at Barrel Oaks Winery in Delaplane, Thursday from 4-6 p.m. They are looking for volunteers and people who will bring toiletries, especially tooth brushes, and Barrel Oaks will be donated 15 percent of the proceeds.
For more information on Comfort Cases, readers can visit ComfortCases.org.
Previously we reported it was the Bull Run Rotary, when it was in fact, the Gainesville-Haymarket Rotary that worked with Comfort Cases.
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