Thursday, December 15, 2011

Happy Holidays!

The FrameWorks staff of Mission WV wishes you a very Merry Holiday and a happy New Year! We thank everyone who frequents our blog, website and/or facebook page. We thank you for openings your lives to youth who are in foster care and need to know that the community cares about them. It is important that we remember children in foster care not only during the holiday season, but all year long.

Below is our list of ways to support foster care all year long!

January - Write a note to a child in foster care that provides encouragement and advice for the new year. We will give the note to one of the children we work. We can also work with you if you would like to provide a specific child with care packages throughout the year.

February - Bake Valentine cookies and donate them to a group home facility. We can connect you with the facility!

March - Send flowers to a social worker who goes above and beyond to find families for the children they serve. A group of people could chip in on this and a member of our staff will help you with finding a social worker to give to if you don't already have one in mind.

April - Put together a "rainy day" care package for a kid living at a group facility. We can provide gift ideas.

May - National Foster Care Month! Make or join a team for "Walk with Me...for Youth in Foster Care."

June - Time for another care package that could include summer fun items.

July - Send a thank you note or a note of encouragement to a foster or adoptive family. They would probably really appreciate a small gift certificate for a family activity like a visit to the ice cream store or a night out to the movies.

August - School will be starting and a little back-to-school care package would be a great gift to a child in foster care.

September - this is a time of year when a lot of kids get to go school shopping with their families. Children living in a group facility typically don't get to enjoy that type of experience. A gift card to a clothing store would come in handy and one of our adoption workers could take a child for a one on one shopping trip. This way, the child would get to have a fun day and feel extra special.

October - Halloween! Send a residential facility a bunch of candy or Halloween themed baked items.

November - November is National Adoption Month! This can be a difficult month for kids who don't have a family to eat Thanksgiving Dinner with. This month, you can help out by attending a National Adoption Month event and saying a special prayer for children in foster care who are waiting for a forever family.

December - The holidays are here! You know what you can do!

If you would like participate in one or more of these suggested ways to help both foster parents and children in foster care - call us! Our number is 866-CALL-MWV - ask for Carrie Robey.