Every day in your community, foster parents open their homes and hearts to children who have faced challenges and instability, offering them a chance for a brighter future. Their commitment goes beyond basic caregiving.
They provide comfort and encouragement, helping children to build self-esteem and develop trust. They advocate for their children’s educational needs and provide opportunities for children to engage in extracurricular activities that they are interested in. They help maintain or facilitate contact with the biological family and support the child’s relationships and identity.
While not everyone can be a foster parent, everyone can do something to impact the children in their community! It is important to recognize the challenges that foster families face and support these extraordinary families to help them provide exceptional care for these young individuals.
1. Donate Essential Items: Foster families frequently require everyday necessities, like clothing, toiletries, school supplies, and more. Stay alert for local donation drives in your area or ask your local schools or churches for families whom you can connect with for possible donations.
2. Volunteer Your Time: Volunteers are needed for various roles, such as helping at one of our many events, giving assistance around the holidays, and more. Volunteering with TFI not only benefits the families our organization serves but also enriches your own life. It offers a chance to connect with others, supports your mental and physical well-being, and brings enjoyment and fulfillment.
3. Offer Financial Support: Monetary donations help foster families with unexpected expenses and help give them access to resources. All donations to TFI benefit our TFI Kids Fund, a giving fund benefiting children in foster care. This fund goes one step further by providing youth with services the state doesn’t cover, such as braces, prom dresses and equipment for extracurricular activities.
4. Provide Respite Care: If you have the heart for becoming a foster parent but cannot commit to full-time foster parenting, you can become licensed for respite care. This can offer temporary relief for foster parents and help prevent burnout, promote stability, and provide socialization opportunities. This type of care is typically short-term, ranging from a few hours to a few days, and can be provided by other foster families, trained respite caregivers, or specialized respite care facilities.
5. Share Your Skills: Any type of help is welcomed, whether you can offer tutoring, homework assistance, home repairs, mentorship to a child, sports/recreational coaching, networking, or advocacy, you can impact the lives of foster families by sharing your skills in your community!
6. Raise Awareness: Help us spread the word about the needs of foster families in your area and the ways people can contribute. Increased awareness can lead to more support and resources. A quick and easy way to raise awareness is on social media! Follow the TFI Facebook page and share content with your followers!
You can make a positive impact on the lives of foster families and the children they care for. To get involved or learn more about how you can make a difference, please visit the links provided.
- To become a foster parent: TFI – Devoted to the Strength of Family (tfirecruitment.org)
- To volunteer: Volunteer – TFI (tfifamily.org/contribute/volunteer)
- To Become a Respite Care Foster Parent: Respite Care to the Rescue! – TFI (tfifamily.org/respite-care-rescue)
- To donate to TFI: Donations – TFI – Support Foster Children (tfifamily.org/contribute/donations)