Imagine…
You’re 10 years old, it’s past midnight, and you’re in the backseat of a police car trying to comfort your little sister. The police have nowhere to take you. Tomorrow is the last day of 5th grade—a class trip to the zoo. You’re in your pajamas, no clean clothes, no lunch to take. Will you even go to school? What will your friends think?
A community of love and support
May is National Foster Care Month. Based on James 1:27, New Hope for Families creates a community of love and support for foster children and families, inspiring churches to do the same. Their vision is to have more foster families than children in need of foster care.
Everyone can do SOMETHING
While foster parents are needed NOW more than ever, not everyone can open their home to a foster child. BUT, everyone CAN make a difference! Here are some ways you can help support foster families in our community:
- Cook or deliver meals
- Provide childcare or respite care
- Offer mentorship and encouragement
- Donate essentials like diapers, clothing, backpacks
- Contribute financially
- Lift up families you know who need prayer
- Listen and remember their names
Foster kids need a family’s love; they need YOU!
Popular MYTHS of foster care
All foster kids are “broken.”
Most youth in foster care have experienced trauma through no fault of their own. Sometimes, events of abuse or neglect can cause a young person to demonstrate behaviors that fuel this misconception. Thankfully, we understand trauma more now than ever, and there are a lot of trauma-informed services available. Youth in foster care have many of the same needs as their peers. With time, nurture, and relationship-building, youth in foster care can navigate life as resiliently as any other young person.
If I become a foster parent, I’m afraid that I’ll get too attached to a child in my home and it will be difficult when they go back home.
You will get attached, and that is okay—it’s human nature, and it is what children need. It will be hard to see a child leave your home. You gave the child the love and stability they needed during a rough patch in their lives. Even if they are only with you for a short time, you may be the one person who can make a positive change in a child’s life forever.
New Hope for Families can help you learn how to make a difference!
Upcoming events
Foster Care Drive: Saturday, May 17, at Sweetly Kismet Candy Store
Foster Care Interest Meeting: Monday, May 19, at New Home for Families
