UPDATE FROM THE CLEBURNE COUNTY COORDINATOR
May was foster care awareness month and our town rallied around the movement! It is a joy and a privilege to serve as a foster parent in this community. I also had the privilege of having placements in my home during this time. Being a foster parent is one of the most rewarding, yet challenging assignments God has ever given me. The sacrifice of time and energy, the emotional toll of entering into their hurt, and the anxiety of taking care of someone else's child requires an enormous amount of support from family, friends, the church, and the community. All of this to say, that if you know a foster parent, reach out to them! They may act or look like they don't need it, but they do! They are pouring it out and need to be poured in to.
If you feel the call to be a foster parent, don't let the messiness deter you. There is no better community in the country to be a foster parent than in Cleburne County. God will provide all that you need if you give him your family for a child!
MAY DECLARED FOSTER CARE MONTH FOR CLEBURNE COUNTY
Monday, May 15th, 2017, Mayor Jimmy Clark, Cleburne County Judge Jerry Holmes, and Circuit Judge of the 16th Judicial District of Cleburne County Lee Harrod, met with Cleburne County DCFS workers, and The CALL to sign a proclamation officially declaring May to be Foster Care Month for Cleburne County. The proclamation was created in order to recognize the efforts of foster families, social workers, faith-based and community organizations, and others that are improving the lives of young people in foster care across our county and state.
"Being adopted myself, I have the most respect for people that step up to make a difference in a child's life. I was honored to be with Judge Harrod and Mayor Clark signing a proclamation declaring May Foster Care month" said Judge Holmes. They hope to also raise awareness in our community about the growing crisis in the state's foster care system with over 5,000 kids in care and half as many spots available for them in homes. The greatest need of every child in foster care is a safe, loving family where they can heal and grow.
Together, DCFS, The CALL, and our County Officials are hoping to inspire greater engagement of our community in supporting the care of our children in foster care. They are urging all citizens to come forward and do something positive that will help change the lives of children and youth in foster care.
THANK YOU!!
THANK YOU to all those that bought a flower to support our Birthday project!! As we wrap up the end of May, we are so overwhelmed with the support of our community and the love you all have shown for foster care and The CALL in Cleburne County. We also want to send a huge thank you to Ali Sugg at 101.9 The Lake-KSUG for helping us get the word out and promoting foster care awareness this month.
Even though foster care awareness month is coming to an end, it is still our hope to continue to spread awareness throughout our county. We pray that more Christian families will consider opening their homes so these children coming into foster care can stay in our county. We pray for volunteers and mentors to step up and use their gifts/talents to help these children and support our foster families. Remember there is always something you can do. We are all called to do something!
Please consider coming to our next Informational Meeting in June to learn how YOU can get involved!!
Jean Beisenstein dropped off a special delivery last month. Representing Daisy Patch Quilters, she dropped off these beautiful handmade quilts. Thank you to the ladies of Daisy Patch Quilters for using your gifts and talents of quilting and sewing to show love to foster care children in Cleburne County.
Thank you to our private donors that purchase bags for all of our foster children and pay for them to be monogrammed at Mimi's. When they come into care, their belongings, if they have any, are usually packed into a trash bag, so it is very special to our children to have a bag of their very own.
We had a special delivery made to the CALL!! This is Thelma and Jan from Holiday Hills United Methodist Church dropping off several jars of jelly and jams. YUM!! Thank you ladies and Holiday Hills United Methodist Church for your donation!
Michelle Brown used her gift of extreme couponing to bless The CALL in Cleburne County last month. She also regularly uses her gift to bless other area non-profits. What a great way to give back!! Thank you so much Michelle Brown!!With her gift, we were able to create Spring Cleaning baskets for each one of our foster families. These Spring Cleaning baskets have tons of stuff in them that will make life a little easier for our foster moms and dads.
Chastain Chapel youth group was our amazing delivery crew!! They drove these baskets all over the county delivering them to our families!! Awesome!!
