Foster care help can come in many forms. The most direct way to offer support is to become a foster parent. Some could argue the most indirect support can come in financial support. All types of foster care support are imperative for the betterment of children in the system.
This blog examines some of the ways families can offer support to kids in foster care.
Direct Support: Opening Your Home
Okay, you and your family have been mulling over the idea of how you can help kids in foster care. The most direct way to help is opening your home and becoming licensed to foster. This is the largest commitment because you will be responsible for the wellbeing of a child 24/7, offering care, guidance, and familiar support.
If you have ever considered this as an option we encourage you to explore it further. Foster homes are always needed and the main qualifier is that you are an adult, with a stable financial, and living situation. Fostering is hard work and we’d recommend reaching out to your local county social services office for more information on how to get involved.
Direct Support: Volunteering as a Mentor
You want to make a difference but don’t have the ability to foster? Consider becoming a mentor or doing volunteer work directly with children in foster care. It is import that these children feel supported by their community and have positive role models to look to as they grow.
There are programs through C.A.S.A where you can mentor a youth one on one. Lending an ear and time to help them develop. We currently offer a few volunteer opportunities through our reunification and self-esteem building shopping sprees. The main difference between these two types of mentorship opportunities is time. Long term versus short term.
Indirect Support: Donation Tangible Items
You can also offer help to kids in foster care through in-direct support. A popular way to offer indirect support is through the donation of tangible items. Foster Love – Together We Rise created several programs that offer in-direct support, like our Sweet Case, Birthday Box, Build a Board and Bike Build programs.
The Loeslie Family recently did a bike build with her family. She wanted to get her family involved with a project that would benefit children in their community. The bike build offered a great way for her family to bond while doing good. So far they have completed 8 out of the 12 bikes they are building. The donation will go to the children in Polk County, MN, and Grand Forks County, ND.
Indirect Support: Monetary Donations
Monetary donations are the easiest and fastest way to help kids in foster care. Any sized donation goes to helping their well being and providing for services that benefit them directly. While you are not working with a child you are helping provide for one.
Help Any Way You Can
With 1,200 kids entering the foster system every day we urge you to help in any way you can. Whether that is through direct or indirect support, kids in foster care need everyone’s help. Learn how you can get involved here.
