Guest post by Hope Druckenmiller May is Foster Care Awareness Month, and with over 391,000 children and youth in foster care across the country, the needs are many. But so are the opportunities. And there are so many ways for you to help! Beyond becoming a foster parent (though consider that if you can), there are many ways to help …
10 Ways to Support Foster Youth and Families
Do you know a foster family in your church, school, or community? Have you wanted to come alongside a youth and/or family and didn’t know what you could offer? We believe you are uniquely and perfectly positioned to engage today, right where you are, with the gifts, talents, resources, and passions you have to impact your community. May is Foster …
The Impact of 96,929 Volunteers on the Foster Care System
May is National Foster Care Awareness month, and with over 423,000 kids in foster care, you may wonder, can one person make a difference in the life of a foster youth? Is there anyone advocating for them? Is their best interest taken into account? How are their voices heard? Who is speaking on their behalf? With many children removed from …
Aging Out of Foster Care | A Daunting Challenge
Guest post by Annie Evelsizer For many youth on their 18th birthday of their senior year of high school, there is a desire to host a party to celebrate their first small step towards adulthood. There are worries over what should be worn, what snacks to serve, if anyone was left anyone out, and if there would be enough time …
How Can You Say “Yes”?
*This post is by guest blogger Annie Evelsizer. This story is inspired by true events and real people. As a respite care provider in the foster care system, she agreed to care for a bubbly and busy 11-month-old boy over a long weekend so his foster parents could take a family vacation. With three elementary aged biological children of …
What Do You Know About Foster Care and What You Can Do?
May is National Foster Care Month, with an annual presidential proclamation dating back to President Reagan in 1988. Currently, there are over 440,000 children and youth in foster care. This month is a time to recognize everyone that helps families and youth with permanent homes and connections, including foster parents, family members, volunteers, mentors, child welfare professionals, and community members …
Aging Out of Foster Care
Any wise elder, self-help book, or motivational speaker will tell you that in order to succeed, you have to have a plan. You have to begin with the end in mind. But, how can you plan for a successful future when you’re not sure what the next week, month, or year will hold for you in the most fundamental areas …
What do 437,500 Kids in the US have in Common?
Every two minutes, a child in the United States enters foster care. In 2017, there were 437,500 children in foster care, and that number is rising every day. May is National Foster Care Month. It’s a time when community members, parents, child welfare professionals, and YOU can engage in a national conversation about the issue of foster care in the United States. …
5 Reasons Foster Youth Become Human Trafficking Victims
Why are foster youth more likely to be trafficked and what can you do to help? In 2013, the FBI conducted a nationwide raid in 70 cities. That night, 60% of the youth they rescued from sex traffickers were missing from foster care or from group homes. In 2007, a study of 2,250 child victims of trafficking revealed that 75% …