{"id":496,"date":"2019-12-22T16:09:00","date_gmt":"2019-12-22T22:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jasonmpalmer.com\/?p=496"},"modified":"2019-12-18T16:12:16","modified_gmt":"2019-12-18T22:12:16","slug":"4-ways-to-help-foster-kids-and-families","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/22\/4-ways-to-help-foster-kids-and-families\/","title":{"rendered":"4 ways to help foster kids and families"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ever thought that you would love to be able to help a kid in foster care, but didn\u2019t know how? Would you like to help, but you can not become a foster family right now? Well here are 4 simple ways that you can make a difference today.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Get involved as a mentor<\/li><li>Support a foster family<\/li><li>Donate to a support agency<\/li><li>Become a CASA<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get involved as a mentor<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mentorship programs are only a google search away. In just one quick search I found A Family for Every Child\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.afamilyforeverychild.org\/mentor-program\/\">Program<\/a>, there is always <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbbs.org\/\">Big Brothers Big Sisters<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bringingfamiliestogether.com\/bfts-mentoring-program\/\">Bringing Families Together<\/a>. These are a few that popped up with a single search.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/jasonmpalmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/boy-child-clouds-kid-346796-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-502\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are certainly more programs that you can find by searching for mentoring programs in your specific area that may give even better results!<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I heard <a href=\"https:\/\/joshshipp.com\/one-caring-adult\/\">Josh Shipp<\/a> tell his story on a podcast and one line that really stood out for me is \u201cEvery child is ONE caring adult away from being a success story\u201d. You can be that caring adult, whether you are suited to be a foster family or a mentor!<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Support a foster family<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you know a foster family, you may have noticed that they seem busy a lot of the time. You can help share the burden by simply being a good friend. Talk to them. Ask how you can help.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even if you aren\u2019t ready to be a foster family you can provide an afternoon for them to have a kid-free date. You may need to have a background check, depending on your local laws and regulations, but it is an easy way to support a couple that could probably use a little time without kids to connect as partners.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A respite provider can take kids for an overnight stay while foster parents have a much-needed break for a night. A lot of people can offer their home for a night even if they can\u2019t do it full-time.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Offer to run a few errands for them. Life is full of mundane tasks that are much simpler if you do not need to drag kids along with you. Especially if those kids are a new placement in your home and you are not familiar with their triggers and behaviors yet.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/jasonmpalmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/aluminum-black-and-white-business-cart-264529-scaled.jpg?fit=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-506\" width=\"199\" height=\"265\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You could just run to WalMart to grab a few things for them. New payment apps like Venmo, Cash App, Google Pay, or Paypal allow them to send you the money and they don\u2019t need to stand in line with a frightened sibling group of 5!<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Invite a family over for dinner. The stress of life can become overwhelming and something as simple as taking care of dinner and offering your friendship to a foster family might be just what they needed for a stress-free evening!<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Donate to a support agency<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether it is a local foster support group or a national sized organization like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aecf.org\/\">Annie E. Casey Foundation<\/a>, your support can go a long way to helping kids in need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> Even if you do not have the time to donate your time to a specific family, a few dollars to help an organization that can do the work might be your way to join us in providing strength to the weakest among us!<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/jasonmpalmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/cash-dollars-hands-money-271168.jpg?fit=1024%2C854&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-504\" width=\"393\" height=\"327\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Certain times of the year donations are crucial. Christmas programs are run every year to be certain that kids who come into care can have the opportunity to feel loved by those in their community &#8211; even if they haven\u2019t been loved at \u201chome\u201d.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Become a CASA<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A CASA is a Court Appointed Special Advocate. Your state may have specific rules around joining the <a href=\"https:\/\/casaforchildren.org\/advocate-for-children\/be-a-casa-volunteer\/\">program<\/a> and a quick online search will yield all the information you need to begin your own journey.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jasonmpalmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/close-up-photo-of-man-wearing-black-suit-jacket-doing-thumbs-684385-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C678&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-508\" width=\"253\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/close-up-photo-of-man-wearing-black-suit-jacket-doing-thumbs-684385-scaled.jpg?w=2560&amp;ssl=1 2560w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/close-up-photo-of-man-wearing-black-suit-jacket-doing-thumbs-684385-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C199&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/close-up-photo-of-man-wearing-black-suit-jacket-doing-thumbs-684385-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C678&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/close-up-photo-of-man-wearing-black-suit-jacket-doing-thumbs-684385-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C509&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/close-up-photo-of-man-wearing-black-suit-jacket-doing-thumbs-684385-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1017&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/close-up-photo-of-man-wearing-black-suit-jacket-doing-thumbs-684385-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1356&amp;ssl=1 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 253px) 100vw, 253px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kids need a voice! You can be that voice if you are willing to donate a little bit of yourself to their safety and well-being.<br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ever thought that you would love to be able to help a kid in foster care, but didn\u2019t know how? Would you like to help, but you can not become a foster family right now? Well here are 4 simple ways that you can make a difference today. Get involved as a mentor Support a&#8230;<a class=\"read-more-link button\" href=\"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/2019\/12\/22\/4-ways-to-help-foster-kids-and-families\/\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","libsyn-item-id":0,"libsyn-show-id":0,"libsyn-post-error":"","libsyn-post-error_post-type":"","libsyn-post-error_post-permissions":"true","libsyn-post-error_api":"","playlist-podcast-url":"","libsyn-episode-thumbnail":"","libsyn-episode-widescreen_image":"","libsyn-episode-blog_image":"","libsyn-episode-background_image":"","libsyn-post-episode-category-selection":"","libsyn-post-episode-player_use_thumbnail":"","libsyn-post-episode-player_use_theme":"","libsyn-post-episode-player_height":"","libsyn-post-episode-player_width":"","libsyn-post-episode-player_placement":"","libsyn-post-episode-player_use_download_link":"","libsyn-post-episode-player_use_download_link_text":"","libsyn-post-episode-player_custom_color":"","libsyn-post-episode-itunes-explicit":"","libsyn-post-episode":"","libsyn-post-episode-update-id3":"","libsyn-post-episode-release-date":"","libsyn-post-episode-simple-download":"","libsyn-release-date":"","libsyn-post-update-release-date":"","libsyn-is_draft":"","libsyn-new-media-media":"","libsyn-post-episode-subtitle":"","libsyn-new-media-image":"","libsyn-post-episode-keywords":"","libsyn-post-itunes":"","libsyn-post-episode-itunes-episode-number":"","libsyn-post-episode-itunes-season-number":"","libsyn-post-episode-itunes-episode-type":"","libsyn-post-episode-itunes-episode-title":"","libsyn-post-episode-itunes-episode-author":"","libsyn-destination-releases":"","libsyn-post-episode-advanced-destination-form-data":"","libsyn-post-episode-advanced-destination-form-data-enabled":"","libsyn-post-episode-advanced-destination-form-data-input-enabled":false,"libsyn-post-episode-premium_state":"","libsyn-episode-shortcode":"","libsyn-episode-embedurl":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[18,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-foster-care","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2043,"url":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/2022\/01\/24\/9-pillars-for-success-for-foster-parents-with-sandi-kwessel\/","url_meta":{"origin":496,"position":0},"title":"9 Pillars for Success for Foster Parents with Sandi Kwesell","author":"Jason","date":"January 24, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Sandra\u2019s life journey is the result of her brother\u2019s mental health issues that ended in his suicide at the age of eighteen. Sandra was determined to find solutions for other families that her family could not find, and she succeeded! She moves forward with determination and focuses to bring her\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Sandi-Kwessel-1500.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Sandi-Kwessel-1500.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Sandi-Kwessel-1500.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Sandi-Kwessel-1500.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Sandi-Kwessel-1500.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1520,"url":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/2020\/10\/25\/foster-parent-coach-with-mary-rose-maloney\/","url_meta":{"origin":496,"position":1},"title":"FOSTER PARENT COACH WITH MARY ROSE MALONEY","author":"Jason","date":"October 25, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"MaryRose is a foster parent coach and a former child welfare case manager. She owns and operates her own online coaching business that supports foster parents as they support children and families. MaryRose\u00a0works with foster parents on things like advocating effectively, setting and enforcing boundaries, supporting parents on their journey\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1988,"url":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/2021\/11\/15\/diverse-foster-care-perspectives-with-natasha-and-rachel-from-the-just-as-special-podcast\/","url_meta":{"origin":496,"position":2},"title":"Diverse Foster Care Perspectives with Natasha and Rachel from the &#8220;Just as Special&#8221; Podcast","author":"Jason","date":"November 15, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Natasha (a foster mom) and Rachel (a mentor to kids in care) are co-hosts of the Just As Special podcast which is the place to learn about foster care from diverse perspectives. Each episode, sisters Natasha and Rachel bring you a deeply personal interview with a former kid in care,\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Diverse-Foster-Care-Perspectives-1500.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Diverse-Foster-Care-Perspectives-1500.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Diverse-Foster-Care-Perspectives-1500.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Diverse-Foster-Care-Perspectives-1500.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Diverse-Foster-Care-Perspectives-1500.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2062,"url":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/2022\/02\/20\/college-money-for-foster-and-adoptive-families-with-brad-baldridge\/","url_meta":{"origin":496,"position":3},"title":"College Money for Foster and Adoptive Families with Brad Baldridge","author":"Jason","date":"February 20, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Ever wonder about college money for kids who have been in care, are currently in care, or your adopted kids?\u00a0 Brad Baldridge specializes in just this sort of thing!!\u00a0You can find all about him on his website tamingthehighcostofcollege.com Brad's podcast blog and email can also be found there. \u00a0 Foster\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Brad-Baldridge-1500.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Brad-Baldridge-1500.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Brad-Baldridge-1500.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Brad-Baldridge-1500.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Brad-Baldridge-1500.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1922,"url":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/2021\/08\/01\/specialized-alternatives-for-families-and-youth-with-ryann-vernetson\/","url_meta":{"origin":496,"position":4},"title":"Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth with Ryann Vernetson","author":"Jason","date":"August 1, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Ryann Vernetson MA, LPC from Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth (SAFY) joins us to talk about what children and parents really need throughout the foster care system. SAFY specialize in therapeutic foster care and we dove right into all the things that are often overlooked in the foster care\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/ryann-vernetson-3000-2.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/ryann-vernetson-3000-2.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/ryann-vernetson-3000-2.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/ryann-vernetson-3000-2.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/ryann-vernetson-3000-2.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2127,"url":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/2022\/05\/15\/foster-care-in-texas-with-drs-hailey-and-megan-arnold\/","url_meta":{"origin":496,"position":5},"title":"Foster Care in Texas with Drs Hailey and Megan Arnold","author":"Jason","date":"May 15, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Dr.\u00a0Hailey\u00a0Arnold\u00a0is a chiropractor and functional medicine practitioner; however, she is best described as an entrepreneur. Constantly finding solutions to problems, Dr.\u00a0Arnold\u00a0spends her days formulating nutritional products and genetic tests for children of all ages. She is married to Dr. Megan. They\u00a0are both doctors and moms of two toddlers and a\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Foster-Care-in-Texas-600-%C3%97-600-px.png?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Foster-Care-in-Texas-600-%C3%97-600-px.png?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fostercarenation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Foster-Care-in-Texas-600-%C3%97-600-px.png?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbv0Lz-80","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/496","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=496"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/496\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":509,"href":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/496\/revisions\/509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=496"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=496"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fostercarenation.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=496"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}