Saint Francis celebrates National Foster Care Month

More than 513,000 American children are in foster care because their own families are in crisis and unable to provide for their essential wellbeing.

In Harvey County, there are 88 youth in foster care, 57 percent of which live outside of Harvey County because there are not enough foster resource homes to care for them.

Like all young people, youth in foster care deserve and benefit from enduring, positive relationships with caring adults. Now is the time to get involved.

This May, National Foster Care Month will serve as a platform for connecting more of these vulnerable children with concerned, nurturing adults.

Join Saint Francis, America’s leading child welfare agencies, advocates, experts, and more than 12 million foster care alumni as they come together to address the needs of young people in foster care.

Their message is simple: No matter how much time you have to give, you have the power to do something positive that will “Change a Lifetime” for a young person in foster care.

Many of these formerly abused or neglected children and teens will safely reunite with their parents, be cared for by relatives or be adopted by loving families.

But others are less fortunate. Every year, more than 20,000 older youth “age out” of foster care and are left alone to face life’s challenges.

No matter their age, all young people in foster care need a meaningful connection to a caring adult who becomes a supportive and lasting presence in their lives.

Research shows foster care alumni are far more likely than their peers in the general population to endure homelessness, poverty, compromised health, unemployment, incarceration and other adversities after they leave the foster care system.

Across the nation, caring individuals are helping foster children build brighter futures by serving as their foster resource parents, relative caregivers, mentors, advocates, social workers and volunteers. But much more help is needed.

If nothing changes by the year 2020:

• Nearly 14 million children will be confirmed as victims of child abuse and neglect;

• 22,500 children will die of abuse or neglect, most before their fifth birthday;

• 9,000,000 more children will experience the foster care system;

• More than 300,000 children will age out of the foster care system, most with inadequate support to build successful adult lives; and,

• 99,000 former foster youth, who aged out of the system, can expect to experience homelessness.

Saint Francis Community Services provides foster care and many other services for youth in Harvey County.

Join Saint Francis on Saturday at the 10th and Ash Park in Newton for a Foster Parent Appreciation Ice Cream Social.

The event will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. and will feature free ice cream and toppings for all who attend, and members of the Newton Rebels baseball team will be on hand for a free hitting demonstration for the kids.

It is an opportunity to tell caring foster resource parents thanks for their hard work, as well as learn more about how you can participate in National Foster Care Month and help change a lifetime for a Harvey County youth in foster care.

For more information about National Foster Care Month, the Ice Cream Social, and the many ways in which you can make a lasting difference for Harvey County children and youth in foster care, contact Jen Bonnett at (316) 299-9891 or jennifer.bonnett@st-francis.org or visit www.fostercaremonth.org.