Did you know that May is National Foster Care month? As we take time to acknowledge and honor foster parents, family members, volunteers, mentors, child welfare professionals, and other members of the community who help children and youth in foster care find permanent homes, the Missions Committee voted to support Foster Forward.

Foster Forward is nationally and locally recognized leader committed to ensuring that all children and youth impacted by foster care have safe, healthy, and nurturing families. What started as Rhode Island Foster Parents Association (former name) pivoted into an organization that supports young adolescents and adults who are currently or formerly in the foster care system.

They offer programs such as:
Adult Education for youth and young adults needing to complete their GED;
Aspire Program to help young people impacted by foster care get on a path to financial independence;
Real Connections Mentoring connecting foster youth, ages, 18-26, with positive, long-term adult role models;
Your Way Home rapidly re-housing homeless youth between the ages of 18-26 who have aged out of the foster care system;
Work Wonders Program connecting 18-21 year olds to meaningful work and paid employment through skills training, one-on-one career
coaching, and paid work-based learning opportunities.

Our gift of $500 will help support these programs and empower lives impacted by foster care. If you would like to provide further support,
consider visiting the Foster Forward website and clicking on the link to their Amazon Wish List where you can purchase items (bedding,
towels, cleaning supplies, personal care items) to help support young adults who have aged out of the foster care system as they set out
on their own.