What's New
National Foster Care Month Celebrates 20 Years of Raising Awareness
With the theme, "Change a Lifetime," National Foster Care Month is celebrating 20 years of raising awareness about America's 513,000 youth in foster care because their families are in crisis. National Foster Care Month heightens visibility for the issue and provides a strong outreach and recruitment platform for individuals and organizations to support children and families throughout the year. Every May for the past two decades, National Foster Care Month has encouraged people to get involved in the lives of these youth — whether as their foster parents, volunteers, mentors, employers or in other ways. It is now time to Change a Lifetime of someone in foster care.
Casey Family Programs leads a partnership of 17 national organizations, including the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, representing more than 250,000 individuals and providers. Today, the campaign spotlights the importance of helping youth in foster care make permanent connections to caring adults.
The Change a Lifetime campaign offers suggestions about ways people can get involved ranging from sending care packages to alumni of foster care now in college to helping youth in care improve their financial literacy skills to encouraging local businesses to support young people in foster care.
The campaign features prominent alumni of foster care, including NFL linebacker Keith Bulluck, soap opera star Victoria Rowell, and Smoke Signals film director Chris Eyre.
The National CASA Association is sponsoring a weeklong demonstration on the National Mall in Washington, DC, May 19 to 23. On Monday, May 19, 850 life-size stand-up displays of children in foster care holding placards will appear at the Washington Monument. These displays represent the children who enter foster care each day. Every morning, 850 additional displays will appear until Friday, May 23, when the total will reach 4,250. Each day will have a different focus that will include the following topics: Monday-CASA Kickoff (featuring TV star Danny Pino of "Cold Case"); Tuesday-Youth Day (featuring young adult spokespersons); Wednesday-Youth in Transition Day; Thursday-A Solution for Disproportionality Day; Friday-Closing program. More details will be made available soon on the CASA website.
The National Foster Parent Association is sponsoring a nationwide walk for foster care. Entitled "Walk Me Home," the national organization along with its state affiliates are conducting this event to raise awareness and funds for foster care. There will be a series of nationwide walks conducted from May to October. Each participating state will organize at least one walk on Saturday, May 3 during National Foster Care Month. Visit www.walkmehome.org to find an event near you.
Throughout May, events will take place across the country to highlight awareness. The Michigan Youth Opportunities Initiative, for example, is planning two events. In Wayne County, MYOI plans to have signs, pinwheels and pamphlets to distribute during lunchtime in a downtown Detroit park on May 14. MYOI also will host a Foster Care Fair on May 29 in which various stakeholders will present information about how youth can advocate for services. The presenters will include Department of Human Services staff, private agency workers, lawyers, judges and others.
For more information, please visit www.fostercaremonth.org
