Page 18 - Our Hands Spring Summer2022

FOSTER CARE SPRING APPEAL

SAY YES TO FOSTER CARE

ay is Foster Care Awareness Month and Samaritas Our hope is to get the word out about how it “takes a purple TOGETHER, WE BUILD FAMILIES,
encourages you to “Say Yes to Foster Care”. Like village” to make sure foster kids get the safe, loving home HOMES, AND COMMUNITIES
Min years past, we are “painting the town purple” they deserve and the support they need to be successful in
focusing media relations efforts and advertising messaging in school, with relationships and in life.
honor of this special month. This Spring, support life-changing Samaritas programs for
“It’s so important for foster kids to have the support they the most vulnerable people in our communities.
We are using a photo campaign to help current staff and need. Being removed from their home because of neglect or
foster parents describe their journey. Some may describe abuse is a traumatic situation, and even though so many of
their journey as fun, crazy or adventurous, so their saying these children are incredibly resilient, it means a lot when
would be "Say Yes to Fun" "Say Yes to Crazy" or "Say Yes to they know they have a community of caring people who want
Adventure." Others may be passionate about certain groups to help them,” said Angie Henry, who oversees the foster
of kids, so their sayings could be, "Say Yes to Teens" "Say Yes care licensing workers for Samaritas. "I’ve come a long way from being
to Siblings" or "Say Yes to Medically Fragile Youth." that angry little girl. Trish and
Peter gave me the home, love, and
support I needed to be who I am
today. I’m happy, going to school,
PAINT THE TOWN PURPLE and ready to make it on my own.
And I know they will always be
there for me.”

Tap into Local Businesses

• Ask your favorite businesses to put out Samaritas Foster Care flyers
or banners

• Ask business owners to light up their business with purple lights
in May

• Ask local businesses to offer special discounts or gifts to customers
who are identified as foster families

• Ask local restaurants to sponsor a meal, party or celebration for
foster families in the community

Make it Personal

» Share your thoughts and support for foster care on "We had a tight window of time to
your social media sites reach the airport and we could only
take a few things. I think I was the
» Use the hashtags #SayYestoFosterCare and most frightened right before we
#SamaritasFosters to show your support boarded the plane. There were so
many people, the yelling and chaos.
» Sponsor a scholarship for a young person who I just prayed and cried as we took
is making the transition from foster care to self- off into the air.”
sufficiency

» Get your family, office or group to wear purple and
tag us in a photo

» Shine a purple porchlight during May
When you give, you create family and home opportunities for the most vulnerable
» Consider becoming a foster parent! Start your people in our communities. Visit Samaritas.org/Donate to give today.
journey today: Samaritas.org/FosterCare
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