I know numbers can make our eyes glaze over. Especially when we discuss them in the thousands. The numbers overwhelm. We respond with a slow shaking of our heads and think that something ought to be done about it. But, soon we return to our own problems; ones that touch us closer. That is, until something grabs our attention. Or it involves someone close to us, maybe from our own family. Or, we hear a true story of a child that puts a name and face to one of those 250 thousand. Then we care.
May Is National Foster Care Month
In 1988, President Reagan issued the first presidential proclamation that established May as National Foster Care Month.
A yearly proclamation from the President supports the Children’s Bureau in this effort by recognizing the work of foster families, social workers, faith-based and community organizations, and others that are improving the lives of young people in foster care across the country and by encouraging all Americans to take part in efforts to serve these children throughout the year.
Often we need a proclamation to get our attention. We need to pay attention to the children; the broken families; the caseworkers, judges, mentors, etc.
To help focus our attention on these, I will post a blog each Tuesday in the month of May. Each blog is an interview with someone involved with foster care:
- An employee with Texas Child Protective Services
- A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)
- A family who fostered children for several years and adopted many.
- A friend who grew up in a foster family yet never adopted.
Many others are involved with children who enter the foster care system, such as, judges, mentors, faith-based and community organizations, family attorneys, and those who give other kinds of support.
My goal is to bring attention to the needs of the children, their biological families, and those who work tirelessly to give the support, healing, and encouragement that is needed.
I hope to remove any preconceived stereotypes you have, and hopefully compel you to consider how you can be a part of the solution instead of making that slow shaking of your head kind of response. I am not judging, I do the same thing when I don’t know what to do. Maybe after reading these interviews, you will not only know what you can do, but you will also want to respond.
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