How to Make an Impact During Foster Care Awareness Month
Foster Care Awareness Month is quickly approaching, yet there’s still plenty of time to plan and
decide how you can better the lives of youth affected by foster care. The month is full of ample
opportunities to make a positive change in the lives of those affected by the foster care system,
so it’s important to take advantage of how focused the community becomes around this time of
the year.
About Foster Care Awareness Month
Every year during the month of May, “Foster Care Awareness Month” is recognized in the United States. It officially started in 1988 and continues to make an impact and raise awareness
to this very day. National Foster Care Month is supported and maintained by the Children's
Bureau, Children Welfare Information Gateway, as well as their partners.
During this month, many different nonprofits, influencers, and organizations like to bring
awareness to foster youth and foster parents alike and try to rally some extra support for them.
Being a good foster parent is commendable, and being a foster youth is worthy of considerable
amazement for the heartache they both previously have had to and continue to endure. Neither
roles are easy, and both deserve as much community support as possible.
Making an Impact
If you’re an organization or individual looking to make a positive difference in the lives of those
impacted by foster care, make it a point to start planning ahead and contact different established
organizations that are dedicated to foster youth year-round for advice and guidance.
Additionally, you can take the initiative yourself and simply “go out and do it.” The choice is
yours!
Organizations Dedicated to Foster Youth
● Fostering Media Connections
● Finally Family Homes
● A Home Within
● Angel’s Nest
● Transfiguring Adoption
● Kids In The Spotlight
● Creating a Family
● FosterClub
● FosterMore
● The Forgotten Initiative
● America’s Kids Belong
● Children's Action Network
● Just In Time
● Guardian Scholar // Next Up Programs
● One Simple Wish
● Hope in a Suitcase
● A Sense of Home
● Make Good
● Foster Love
Ways to Help on Your Own
● Donate new/gently used clothes and toys to your local DCFS office or directly to a foster
family in need
● Make care packages for teens that include toiletries, makeup, self care products, maybe
some journals and coloring books/markers to help with anxiety, etc.
● Donate to existing fundraising endeavors
● Make a meal for a local foster family, or deliver a gift card to a restaurant
● Donate fun gift cards to youth, such as gamestop, target, starbucks, sephora, etc.
● Talk to your friends, neighbors, and colleagues about foster care and raise awareness so
that more people become interested in helping make foster care a better place
As Foster Care Awareness Month approaches, let it serve as a reminder to have a level of focus
dedicated to those impacted by foster care year-round, rather than just one month out of the
year. Whereas the month is an incredible way to spread awareness and rally the community, it
should also be a push for us to continue to do what we can to help the foster care system be a
safe and supportive place for everyone involved all year-long.
