OSEA Safety Blog

National Foster Care Month

Switching gears from my normal safety and health related writings to another topic that is near and dear to both my heart as well as OSEA’s. May is National Foster Care Month – a time to recognize that we each can play a part in enhancing the lives of children and youth in foster care (of which there are currently 437,000).

Our Owners, John and Gina, are “Foster Grandparents” and get to support the Foster system in an extra special way. Additionally, each year at Christmas time, OSEA’s employees band together to make contributions to various charitable organizations – for the past couple years we have chosen to support organizations that directly impact youth in foster care.

In support of this month, we are joining others in raising awareness and giving ideas and ways that you can also support youth in the foster care system. So many people believe that in order to support foster care, you have to become a foster parent, and this is not true. Although, if you have it in your heart and on your mind to foster you should absolutely do your research and jump on in, I’m certainly not going to dissuade you!

If you would like to support youth in the foster care system, consider visiting https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/ for more information and doing some or all of the following:

• Spread the word! Visit the website above and share their resources on social media.
• Become an advocate or CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) – or contact your local CASA to see how you can support their efforts or visit www.CasaForChildren.org
• Consider providing respite care (babysitting) – this does require some paperwork and clearances
• Support a foster family through random acts of kindness (i.e. drop off coffee, meals, or items they may be in need of)
• Volunteer with programs such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Kids Hope USA, the Purple Project or Foster Care to Success
• Donate – you can donate items or funds to your local CASA, Child Welfare agencies, Foster Love Closets, Comfort Cases, and so many more!
• If you shop at Amazon, consider using www.smile.amazon.com and link and choose a charity to support (when you shop, Amazon donates to your chosen charity), some great options that support youth in the foster system include (but not limited to) the following:
  • Together We Rise
  • CASA
  • Love Fosters Hope
  • We Will Speak
  • Foster Youth in Action
  • Foster Club