To help more of the nearly 7,000 Virginia children now in foster care or on waiting lists for good, loving homes, the 127-year old children’s crisis charity KidsPeace is opening a much-needed foster child care and community programs center in Alexandria.
Funded through a federal grant secured by Congressman Jim Moran, the new center is a proactive step in providing care to a specialized-needs group of local children who require therapeutic foster homes to overcome crises in their young lives. A citywide public service radio campaign created by KidsPeace through a grant from the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation is being launched on dozens of local radio stations and is calling on good-hearted citizens to consider fostering children - especially older children, who are often overlooked and who now make up nearly half of all kids in foster care.
At a special event and open house on Thursday, October 29, from 9:00 am - 12:00 noon the charity will appeal to families in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William County to open their hearts and their homes to local kids in need. More than 100 VIPs and special guests are invited to attend, including Congressman Moran, Rebekah Beck (Education Program Manager, Stop Child Abuse Now of Northern Virginia), Greta Rosenzweig (Supervisor of Resource Unit, Alexandria Department of Human Services/ DSS/CWS), Claudia McDowell (Program Manager of Foster Care, Fairfax County Department of Family Services), KidsPeace President and CEO William Isemann, community supporters, foster parents, and foster kids. From 1pm-5pm, KidsPeace will be providing a free training in Falls Church to local social workers on how to recruit and prepare families to take older teens, handle crises, and reduce the numbers of kids “given back.” The session will be led by Pat O’Brien, noted founder of the teen adoption agency, “You Gotta Believe.” To reserve a free spot and get directions, call Alana Marino at 571-403-9260.
Across the nation, the need for foster homes is rapidly increasing as more and more children are removed from their homes and need temporary or permanent alternatives because of abuse, neglect, or other family crises. More than 600,000 children nationwide currently need foster homes, but the number of foster homes falls short of meeting the need. Nearly half are over age 12, and in Virginia 55 percent of foster care children in the state are 13 or older.
“The shortage of foster homes leaves more and more children deprived of the loving care that every child needs and deserves,” said William Isemann, KidsPeace President and CEO. “KidsPeace’s new center in Alexandria will work with families in the region to give the best to kids who have been through the worst.”
SOURCE KidsPeace
