Jan/Feb Beans for Bags Spotlight: Foster Supports of Jefferson County
A relative sent this note to her teen’s tutor: I am so grateful to you. You have changed the life of a kid who said, “I can’t do it.” Now he is starting to believe in himself more.
We are excited about the exposure the Co-op will provide to our greater community by sharing our information. We are simply a group of eight volunteers, working since 2017, giving our time to support around 50 families raising children who have, in some way, come into contact with our local Department of Children, Youth, and Families due to abuse or neglect. We support these families as they move through the system, whether through placements in licensed homes, with relatives, or, in some cases, reunification with their parents. We reach out for as long as it takes to determine what we can do to stabilize the child’s life.
“Another child came to her foster family at night, with only the clothes she was wearing. Early the next morning, we delivered a whole new wardrobe so she could choose clothes for school that day.”
THE WORK OF FOSTER SUPPORTS:
With the help of our community and support from donations, we’re actively serving 47 families with 71 children. The children range in age from birth to 21, and they are living with their licensed foster parents, relatives, legal guardians, or mothers whose children have been returned to them.
“One of our little guys needed special food to gain weight and proudly showed off his new belly, patting it and smiling as our volunteer dropped off more of the expensive formula.”
A teen wrote us a thank-you note for the dance classes she took for over a year, which improved her self-image and skills.
We call them our families. We stay in touch, listen to their good days and bad days, and ask what we can do to help. Because we’re a small, independent non-profit, we don’t have to go through any red tape. We quickly take action to provide what’s needed—clothes, groceries, bikes and helmets, new shoes, Halloween costumes, gas money, special formula, eyeglasses, and lots and lots of diapers.
Our motto: We Deliver!
We help our children grow. Through our activity scholarships, we pay for lessons that range from dance and theater to soccer, swimming, gymnastics, YMCA classes, horseback riding, and summer camp. For our kids who need extra help with their schoolwork, no matter what age, we find tutors who can give them one-on-one attention.
One ongoing program we offer is Kicks for Kids. In cooperation with Quimper Mercantile, every child who is part of our program receives two vouchers a year for new shoes or boots.
We create community. Throughout the year, we bring our families together for fun and sharing at special events. Our Twisters Gym Play Time brings kids and parents together for gymnastics and pizza, and our Backpack Event allows each child to choose a backpack and fill it with school supplies. At our Christmas Party with Santa, while kids are entertained, their parents go to a secret room to choose free gifts, which they wrap for Christmas. Our recent Foster/Kinship Support Group meets monthly, providing a speaker, support, and childcare.
You are part of what we do. As an all-volunteer non-profit with very little overhead, we turn to our community for donations. We greatly appreciate our local community’s support of our work.
To learn more about Foster Supports of Jefferson County and how you might get involved please visit their website at: https://www.fostersupportsofjeffersoncounty.org/
“New this year, our Family Support Group brings foster parents together with social services professionals. At a meeting with a local psychologist volunteer, a grandmother raising two children said, “This is the first time I really understood my grandson and his special needs!””