May was National Foster Care Month. Every year, about 170,000 families care for over a half million children whose parents can't take care of them. These resource families and the social workers, volunteers, educators and professionals who support them quietly take on one of the greatest challenges our society generates. Few people know how much strong love, strenuous work, and sympathetic perseverance lies at the heart of “the system.” A group more deserving of appreciation and recognition is hard to imagine.

Every jurisdiction in the country has experienced a shortage of foster homes, and estimates the number of homes in need range into the millions. Most agencies, including Casey, are perpetually recruiting new foster parents at the same time that they seek to retain the ones they have. The National Foster Care Month campaign provides an opportunity for people all across the nation to show their appreciation for the dedication of our foster families and workers. It is also an opportunity to get more people involved, whether as foster parents, volunteers, mentors, employers, or in other ways.

This is the second year the National Foster Parent Association (NFPA) sponsored a Blue Ribbon Campaign, in which ribbons are displayed for children in out-of-home care. The NFPA hopes to raise awareness of the need for foster parents as well as honor the foster families and workers who take care of foster children every day. For more information about the NFPA Blue Ribbon Campaign and National Foster Care Month, go to: http://nfpainc.org and http://fostercaremonth.org.

We honored and recognized our foster families during National Foster Care Month in several different ways.

• At the beginning of May, each foster family was sent an appreciation packet.
  
 
• In the packet was a letter written by Glynis Cassis, Hartford Division Director, a Blue Ribbon pin, Blue Ribbon car magnet, a poem by Geoffrey Canada, and a HomeTown Buffet postcard for kids to eat free in May.
   
• Foster families and Casey staff were encouraged to wear the pin and display the car magnet to show their support for National Foster Care Month.
   
• Manchester, West Hartford and Wethersfield HomeTown Buffet’s honored National Foster Care Month by allowing two kids to eat free with one adult meal purchase throughout the month of May.
  
 
• Families in our post-adopt, reunification and foster care programs were also able to participate when they showed any of the participating HomeTown Buffet’s their “Kids Eat Free in the Month of May” postcard.
   
• The Hartford division tied blue ribbons around trees outside their building and on plants inside the suite.
   
• Posters recognizing National Foster Care month were placed in the 1st floor and 4th floor lobbies.

In addition, a National Foster Care Month collaborative event was held on May 4, 2005, from 8:30 to 10am. Casey Family Services, Hartford division, the Department of Children and Families and the Connecticut Association of Foster and Adoptive Parents (CAFAP) and other private foster care agencies sponsored the recognition event at the Goodwin Hotel in downtown Hartford. Foster families, foster alumni and workers enjoyed breakfast together and listened to inspirational speakers such as Veronica Douglass, WTNH and Darlene Dunbar, Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families.

Shainetta Jackson, Casey Family Services alumni also shared her thoughts about her experience growing up in the foster care system and thanking those families and workers who have and continue to support her.

Press releases featuring Casey Family Services, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and National Foster Care Month were printed in approximately 10 local newspapers around Connecticut in May. The Bristol Press featured Dee and Jim Christopher in an article printed in early May. You can find that article by going to www.bristolpress.com. The press releases and article have raised awareness about the need for foster families while honoring those families and workers who help our children every day.

The final event is a foster parent appreciation inner planned for September 16, 2005, at the Pond House Café in West Hartford, CT. Please remember to save the date!