Fostering Dreams
Giving the dreams of foster and children in need the wings to fly
...and the fun never ends!
As you have seen, some of our events are designed to give kids in foster care experiences they would otherwise never encounter. Activities that allow them to escape the realities of their life, allbeit for a few hours. We also constantly brainstorm to create experiences that will yield teachable moments for these children; events that create an atmosphere of fun and enterainment, for sure, but which extend beyond that to teach and inspire them to dream, to set goals, and to believe they can achieve them. We want them to remember and treasure these experiences for the rest of their lives.
Tailgates
The tailgate takes on different forms depending on the season. We have held tailgate parties for Football, Basketball, and Hockey. Each tailgate offers games, activities and plenty of tailgate food. Youngstown State University and the Youngstown Phantoms Hockey Organization have provided tickets for the foster kids and their foster families free of charge.
No matter what the time of year, outdoor or in-door, the kids enjoy the tailgate setting and the games.
Training and Education Opportunity
Each year, 3000 children age out of our foster care system in Ohio. These kids, even having been in the best foster homes, are ill-equipped for the challenges life will throw at them. Our center will provide them with the tools for training and education they need. Two computer labs, a life-skills curriculum, and volunteers that will provide guidance, and even job-shadowing opportunities will help prepare them for life after foster care. This transition training is an aspect that is sadly lacking today, and one our state child-care system has not provided.
Future
So what does the future hold? Of course, we never know what lies down the road for these children. What we do know is that we are committed to keeping the lines of commun-ications open with foster parents, local foster care agencies, and the children in foster care themselves, to provide the kind of experiences of which they can usually only dream. With your help we will continue to provide the experiences outlined here, and seek to offer ever-expanding "dream" opportunities.