National Foster Care Month
Happy National Foster Care Month!
This May is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate, honor and support everyone involved in helping find safe homes and forever families for foster youth around the world!
Sometimes this means connecting foster kids with family members, and sometimes it means finding a new family for them. Children enter foster care for a variety of reasons, many of which are related to parents being unable to provide or take care of them due to challenges such as drug abuse, incarceration, death or illness.
Thankfully, these kids still have a bright future ahead of them! A Family for Every Child is just one of many organizations and agencies that are working to find loving and supportive families for these children. National Foster Care Month is the perfect time to spread awareness and think about how to volunteer yourself! Be sure to take the time this month to thank foster parents and families, volunteers, mentors, caseworkers, social workers and others who are spending their time, energy and resources to find homes for the youth and children in the foster care system.
“A Family for Every Child is dedicated to finding loving, permanent families for every waiting foster child.”
- A Family For Every Child’s mission statement
You can take an active role in supporting foster youth! You may want to consider volunteering at AFFEC or some of these other options:
- Donate your time as a mentor, social worker, lawyer, or therapist
- Contribute financially or give donations (like clothes and electronics)
- Become a foster or adoptive parent!
Social media is an excellent way to spread awareness of the foster care system and encourage those who are in it. Send your thanks and appreciation to foster parents or adoptive parents you know, encourage social workers, and more! Use the hashtag #fostercaremonth and spread awareness and encouragement about this month!
Check out what others are saying about National Foster Care Month:
National Foster Care Month on Child Welfare Information Gateway:
“This year's National Foster Care Month campaign recognizes these principles of engagement and connection as essential to expediting reunification and permanency and promoting long-term stabilization for youth transitioning to adulthood.”
-Taffy Compaign, National Foster Care Specialist | Children’s Bureau, May 1, 2021, “Prioritizing Engagement, Connections for Youth and Families to Improve Long-Term Outcomes”
A Proclamation on National Foster Care Month, 2021:
“During this National Foster Care Month, we share our gratitude for those who support youth and families by being a resource to children in need and supporting birth parents so that they may safely reunite with their families whenever possible. We also recognize that it takes collaboration and community effort — from local organizations to Federal agencies — to support children, birth parents, and resource and kin families during challenging times.”
-Joseph R. Biden Jr., April 30, 2021, Presidential Actions, “A Proclamation on National Foster Care Month, 2021”
National Foster Care Month on FosterClub:
“Each May, we have an opportunity to raise public awareness for our cause — and you are invited to join in and make a difference! Below, you'll see the focus areas we are concentrating on, an assortment of social media memes you can share, and opportunities to share your story, fundraise, and take action.”
