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IT TAKES A VILLAGE —- Utilizing the Village in Your Back Yard

June Bond, BA M Ed

Some people may scoff at the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child,” citing that the village needs to be the parents that are providing the love and support for their own children. As I often say, “in a perfect world you may be right. : HOWEVER, foster parents sit in the middle of an imperfect word and valiantly try to make the best outcome for the children in their care. Needless to say, the core of the village are the thousands of selfless dedicated people called foster parents that open their home and hearts to children in need of a safe and nurturing haven. The system needs to take a broader look at the “village in the back yard to help with services, find volunteers, and to incorporate funds so that our front line warriors, foster parents, do not find themselves, tried, stripped of resources and support, and leaving their posts in this frontline battle to help children in care.”

1.FRONT LINE WARRIORS: Foster parents and GAL/COSA:
The first thing that I would offer is to gather other foster parents to incorporate a foster parent association
in your region. Find a sympathetic local lawyer that will offer their free services to incorporate the local
foster parent association. Area churches can offer free space and nursery provisions if families need to
bring their children to the foster care meetings. Bringing foster parents together can provide support and
shared information that can make everyone a better advocate for their own foster children. Remember,
when advocating or asking for help with resources, there is strength in numbers and official status.
Another font line warrior in providing help for foster children are the COSAs and Guardian Ad Litems that
advocate for the children in care. A child in care needs another official voice in court, at school meetings,
and in the system. Far too often, there are not enough volunteer guardians to meet the needs and offer
their voice for the child. The recruitment of these advocates is vital to getting other concerned adults on
the team. The use of media church programs, and targeted recruiting of caring people (teachers are a good
example) who are beginning their retirement is a good pool in your own backyard.

2. CHURCHES AND HOUSES OF FAITH: Most churches and houses of faith have mission programs that reach
across the ocean to help orphans in need. If your church has an orphan ministry, make certain they
include foster children in the ministry. Bring awareness to the needs of orphans both domestically. Let the
orphan ministry be a support financially, emotionally and spiritually for parents and families during the
time that children are in foster care, during the adoption process and post adoption phase. If your church
does not have an orphan ministry —- start one. The best model that I have seen is Home for Me Ministry
at First Baptist Church of Simpsonville, SC started by Rhonda Littleton. “While we know that everyone in
the church will not be able to be a foster parent or to adopt a child, every person in our church can be a
part of our team,” states Littleton. The team celebrates every time a family receives a new foster child or
an adoptive child. More than celebration however, the church team forms a loving “wrap around for the
family.” This wrap around includes prayer, gifts for the child, birthday cakes, a homecoming gift, a birthday
gift, a Christmas gift, cards every three months, welcome home clothes and toys, as well as families that
can give respite for the family and a weekly meal. In this way, the new family does not become
overwhelmed and stressed out in the initial months of a placement. Likewise, this concept allows for many church members to use their time and talents in a meaningful support even if they are not the font line
warriors. In a larger sense the entire church adopts the child.

3. SERVICE CLUBS: Service clubs in your area are looking for speakers and programs in which to engage. Have
a speakers’ within the foster care association that offers a 30-minute program on the need for awareness
and services for children in foster care. Try to blanket your “back yard with speakers that can spread the
word about the needs for added services, donations of supplies, tickets for events for older children and
children in group homes, and how they can engage their “ backyard resources with your backyard needs.”

4. CORPORATE/BUSINESS SOURCES: Take a look at your region and ascertain what companies manufacture
or sell goods that are needed for the foster children. At a chance happening at a local fast food restaurant,
I encountered the vice president of a company that had a school supply division and an executive of a
nationally known company that made school supplies. With a few calls in late July of 2014, a large van
from BOTH companies brought school supplies to over 200 foster care children in our county. Also
ascertain what companies in your area have a connection for a foundation for charitable giving.
Foundations like to invest in their own community (their back yard) and what better investment than our
children’s future.

5. COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES: It is quite possible that your local colleges and universities can provide free
tickets for sporting events, plays, concerts, and a beautiful setting/backdrop for making Heart Gallery
pictures. Two local colleges in our backyard of Spartanburg, SC allow children in foster care to attend
football, soccer, and basketball games for FREE! This is really a treat for the older teens and children in
group homes. At one basketball game, one of the colleges provided free pizza and duffle bags for children
residing in a local group homes.

6. PUBLIC LIBRARIES: Your local public library is a good resource for providing free and age appropriate
movies for a group of foster children on Saturdays, during a school break, or in-service days when the
children do not go to school. Do not be afraid to ask —- Remember that not asking will guarantee not
getting anything! The public library may also give space of a bulletin board to recruit for foster parents and
GAL/COSAS.

7. RUNNING CLUBS OR OTHER ATHLETIC CLUBS/TEAMS: Runners love to run, and runners love to run even
more for a good cause. Let your local running clubs sponsor a race for funds for needs in the foster care
community.

8. LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT FACILITIES: Do not be afraid to ask local movie theaters, bowling alleys, and
amusement parks for free or deeply discounted tickets in the off season. Remember to ask for the group
from the newly formed association —- Power in numbers!

9. MEDIA: Develop a positive relationship with the local newspaper to bring awareness about children in
foster care. Have members of your support group write letters to the editor, as well as op-ed pieces that
advocate for children in foster care. Work with the local television station and sponsors to develop a
weekly segment highlighting a child that may be available for adoption. Television stations across the
country promote a segment called “Wednesday Child.” Animals activists are experts at getting media
attention and focus….doesn’t an abused child deserve our attention as much as an abused animal?

10. LAW MAKERS: Find out which legislators in your area have an interest in foster care and/or adoption or
children’s rights. These law makers need to be the “go to” folks when proposed bills are being considered
that affect children in foster care. Do not be afraid to testify on the impact of a proposed bill relating to children in foster care. A few years ago, in May (National Foster Parent Month) one group of foster
parents took dolls to each of their law makers in their state capitol offices. These dolls had been
intentionally battered and patched with band-aids and wearing dirty tattered clothes, as a reminder of the
children in foster care that need their backing and advocacy. Other groups are also vying for law makers
attention —- do not be afraid to be bold.

According to Google the phrase….It takes a village is a proverb that leverages the cultural context and belief that it takes an entire community to raise a child. A child has the best ability to become healthy adults if the entire community takes an active role in contributing to the rearing of the child. There is no better example of this concept when looking at children in foster care. It is my firm belief that the helping village is truly in your own back yard.