• By Teresa Bryant
• Posted Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Attention Generous Community Members

Did you know?
Across North Carolina, about 11,000 children are in foster care. The 2010 Census shows, about 11% of children in NC are raised by grandparents and other relatives in informal non-foster care homes. Parenting is financially, emotionally and physically challenging and more so for relatives unexpectedly parenting.

What is the difference between foster parents and relative caregivers?
Foster parents are people who are trained and licensed by our agency and the state to parent children removed from neglectful or abusive homes by the court system. Foster parents receive monthly compensation and medical coverage to cover the child’s basic needs.

Relative caregivers are family members who provide care to children in their family. These children could be placed by DSS or the family may have made an arrangement without involving our agency. Thanks to these relatives the children are safe and their basic needs are being met. These families receive a monetary compensation of $278 a month total {not per child}. Imagine covering the cost of three teens on such a limited amount!

Make a difference this season!
Please share your cheer with children & families in our community!

How can you help?
Relative families request assistance with necessary basics as well as other common items that every child deserves. Children in foster care request items they would like to have from a wish list because their basic needs are met with the board payment to the foster family; additionally you may provide a gift card to a teen if you like.

Contributions can be in the form of gift cards so families can purchase items or you can purchase items from a list the family submits.

Who are some relative caregivers & children in foster care in our community?

• Mr. and Mrs. C are 78 and 74 raising their six year old great grand daughter on retirement.
• Angelo is 17 – in foster care for 5 years
• Ms. A., age 63, raises her grand daughter and teen grandsons ages 13, 15 and 17
• Ashley and Lynda are ages 5 and 10 – in foster care

Why do children live with relatives or in foster care?
Children live with relatives because their parents are incarcerated, deceased, battle addictions, or have mental health concerns that limit their ability to provide the basic needs or care for their children. Children are in foster care because of abuse or neglect and/or their parents are unable to provide care because of the same reasons that children are live with relatives.

How do I get family lists or get started to coordinate a service project?
Contact Teresa Bryant at 703-3744 or bryanttc@forsyth.cc or contact Brigitte Lindsay at 703 – CHILD (2445) or lindsabp@forsyth.cc.

View/Print the Sponsor Process

Holiday donations must be received at Social Services by Friday, December 9th, at 5:00 pm. All drop offs need a scheduled date/time to assure coordinators are available.

This holiday assistance project is proudly sponsored by Social Services’ Relatives as Parents Program, “RAPP” Groups & Foster Home Services .