Do A Little

Read this quote today:

“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.” (Edmund Burke)

When faced with the huge issue of the almost 20,000 kids that age out of foster care every year, that’s over 54 a DAY, it seems like there is so little anyone can do to make a difference.

If you read the Chapin Hall Study (you have to register (free) to download it) You’ll see things like 40% of kids out of care for three years had been arrested since their last interview with the people studying this group. You’ll see that over 65% are not enrolled and that 40% of them have no money for clothing. You’ll see all kinds of interesting things.

And so one might say that with almost 20,000 of these kids who are aging out without being adopted, that there is very little that anyone can do to make a difference. But, thinking of the quote above, here are some things you can do.

1) Call a Children’s Home or a Residential Treatment facility and see how volunteers are utilized. if they don’t have a program set up, ask if you can do one of the following:

a) Write to a resident;
b) Become a mentor to a resident;
c) Offer to take one child on an outing;
d) Offer to allow a child or children to spend holidays with your family;
e) Offer to spend time with a resident on campus who is not allowed to leave.

in doing these things, attempt to establish a relationship with a teen in care.

2) Find a foster family in your community and offer to develop a mentoring relationship with him/her.

3) Support an adoptive family in some way.

4) Be an advocate in your legislature to improve child welfare.

5) If you own a business, seek out employees who are in foster care and give them a chance.

6) Recruit one other person to do one of the above.

I could go on. There are so many different ways to make a difference which do not include parenting one of these children.

if you are afraid to take the first step, email me and I will help you set it up.