How to Celebrate National Foster Care Month

The entire month of May is set aside to acknowledge National Foster Care Month. This is to build public awareness of the hundreds of thousands of children waiting in the foster care system for a forever family to call their very own. The children waiting to be adopted are all ages, with or without siblings, all races, all religions, some have physical, mental, emotional, or learning special needs, some do not. All are considered special needs because they are in foster care. Adopting a foster child whose parents' rights have been terminated in the United States is FREE. How can you celebrate National Foster Care Month?

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Help a foster parent
• Help a foster child
• Help a foster agency
• Get a Homestudy
• Get a foster care license

1. 
   Take a foster child out for the afternoon

   Give a foster parent a break and a foster child a treat by taking a neighborhood foster child out to lunch, for ice cream, or a movie. Believe me, your actions will be hugely appreciated.

2. Send pizza that you already paid for right at lunchtime or supper time to a foster family. Send it at lunchtime to a foster care agency for the foster care workers to show your appreciation for their dedication and work with the children.

3. Send a balloon bouquet to a foster child at school just to say your special. Send a bouquet of flowers to a foster care agency or a foster parent to say thanks for your dedication.

4. Sign up for a foster parent orientation class and become a licensed foster family.

5. Request an adoptive homestudy to adopt an available foster child and provide a loving forever home.

Tips & Warnings

• It is better for them to know your love then to never know love.
• You can become emotionally attached to foster children and then have to give them back to their parents.

Resources

• Foster Club for children and parents
• The Star: A Story to Help Young Children Understand Foster Care
• How to Write an Autobiography for Adoption Homestudy of Baby or Older Child
• How to Console a Foster Parent Who Has Lost a Foster Child
• How to Find a Child to Adopt and Negotiate an Adoption Subsidy
• How to Adopt a Baby or Older Child for Free or Receive Reimbursement
• Guest Blog: The Role of an Adoption Attorney
• Renewing Your Foster Care License a Family Project
• Guest Blog: Breaking Down the Stereotype: Gay and Lesbian Parents Raise Children Who Grow Up to Be Gay or Lesbian
• Income Tax Write Offs for Child Foster Care Families
• Dear Adoption Maharishi: What Does Title IV-E Eligibility Mean?
• Is Adoption Subsidy Considered Income for Special Needs Adoptive Parents?

[lighthouse1958]

on 11/7/2009 All of your steps were so good. Is May always set aside to celebrate national foster care? Didn't know about this one, it is a good one though. 5*

[zoegus]

on 9/11/2009 Great article, is there an age limit for foster parent?
I have always wanted to become a foster parent but dont know where to start. 5*

[jenng]

on 9/10/2009 Great article on How to Celebrate National Foster Care Month 5*

[painthorse42]

on 5/26/2009 Really great article Julia! 5*

[Coach4U]

on 5/17/2009 Nice article about how to celebrate National Foster Care Month. "5"