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May is #NationalFosterCareAwarenessMonth! This month is a great time to spread awareness, celebrate the positive impact that the Foster system provides, and advocate for ways to improve each child’s life.
There are 440,000 children currently in the Foster System, with over 100,000 of those children waiting to be adopted. Considering that the current US Population is 328 Million, those numbers are staggering. And we know that not everyone can or feels called to become a Resource Parent. But each of those children deserves a home that is safe, stable, and filled with love. So even if you aren’t currently a Resource Parent, there’s still so much you can do to help spread awareness and celebrate these fantastic kids this month. We’ve collected 10 ways you and your family can do just that!
#1: Share Your Story
Whether you grew up in the system or are a past or current resource parent, this is a great time to share your story. Obviously, make sure only to share safe information, but telling our stories is a powerful way to help others learn about the Foster System and work through our past pain.
There are so many ways to share your stories these days! You can post a single or series of social media posts, write a short essay to send to local or online papers and magazines, or even consider reaching out to a local radio show or a podcast you love that is willing to let you share. We have to talk about things for people to know about them – even when it feels heavy to do so.
#2: Give Your Time
Resourcing and caring for the kids in the foster system takes a lot of work, and it’s always a team effort. If you, or someone you know, has no connection to the system, a great way to introduce them or yourself to the realities and needs of these kiddos is to volunteer. There’s always something to do! But even if your local foster agency magically doesn’t need volunteers, many churches and community groups regularly care for various foster agencies. Consider connecting with them to see how you can be a part of serving these kids.
#3: Meet the Needs of Those Serving
It takes a lot of selflessness to serve these children in need. Many of the kids in the system have behavioral and mental health issues due to their experiences, and the people who care for them do their best to support them. You can help the parents, social workers, and others who serve the foster system by meeting practical needs. Do a Costco run for household paper goods, bring a home-cooked meal, take them out for a kid-free coffee date, or simply ask how you can best serve them practically and tangibly.
#4: Encourage the Discouraged
There are a litany of reasons why a child might end up in the foster system, and some of them may surprise you. We never want to shame a parent whose children have been placed in foster care because we rarely know the whole story. If you know a parent whose children are in the system, check in on them, offer them encouragement and support, listen to their story, and sit with them in their grief. This is a heavy task, but we know how much the kindness and encouragement of others can change people and offer them renewed hope.
#5: Become a Donation Champion
Making donations to Foster Agencies helps more than you can ever know. It’s how we can ensure there are employees to care for our kids, resource parents to support the children in their care, and spread awareness to hopefully bring in more people to help love and care for our children. Community partners are a huge help when it comes to donations. So even if you can’t afford to donate personally, you can become an advocate for your favorite local agency and help collect donations on their behalf. Always make sure to check with that agency to see what the most significant need is at the moment.
#6: Provide a Safe Space
Do you host a monthly book club in your home? Have access to a large room? Work for a company or organization that wants to make a difference? Consider inviting the voices of those who have been through and worked in the system to these places. Host a special event where former foster youth or social workers can share stories and educate others on the foster system. Or use your space to create a support group for resource parents. Or host a lunch with the staff of a local agency to learn how you can support them. By creating these spaces, we create connections that lead to a community that cares.
#7: Read the Stories of Others
One of the traps we can fall into when we care about a specific topic is to elevate our interest in facts rather than the lived experience of others. What we mean is that when we want to learn about the foster system, we need to listen first to the stories of those who grew up in it. Luckily, there are tons of books written by former foster youth who bravely share their stories – good and bad. We highly recommend these books. There are options for adults and children alike, so no matter your situation, there’s one for you.
#8: Always Be Learning
The foster system is continually working to advocate for children better, and that means information, rules and regulations, requirements, and facts, are changing. Therefore, it’s crucial to stay up-to-date on all the happenings and changes within the system. If foster care and foster youth are subjects you care about, become a dedicated student of them. Learn the system’s ins and outs, and learn about legislation that affects foster youth, agencies, or resource parents. Broaden your understanding of the experiences of foster youth by listening to the stories of children of color, LGBT+ children and parents, the foster system, and how it affects indigenous children, etc. There are so many unique facets to foster care that you’ll be learning for a lifetime.
#9:Call Your Representatives About Advocacy
Volunteering for, advocating for, and supporting foster youth is wonderful and amazing, but to make changes at a systematic level, we need to work with local, state, and federal representatives. And we know this can feel really overwhelming, but luckily there are a ton of resources online, like this one, with a wealth of information on how to call your representatives. And this is still the best way to make your voice heard and enact change!
#10: Become a Resource Parent
The biggest way we can be a part of celebrating foster youth as we fight for them is to become a resource parent. As we said before, not everyone has the means to do so, and we understand that! We also know that it takes passionate, loving adults to open their hearts and homes to these children, and that sounds like you. You might not have the ability to become a resource parent now, but we hope that you continue to learn about and support these children until you can take that step.
But for some of you, we know that the call to become a resource parent is loud, and you’re ready to meet the challenge. So if that’s you, we’d love to invite you to contact us, so you can learn more about becoming a resource parent today.
