BY AMBERLY FARRIS
The Lonely Children’s Fund is an essential part of how Iredell County residents can provide financial assistance to children in foster care. Through this fund, the Department of Social Services is able to cover the cost of foster children participating in normal childhood activities and experiences.
One of the ways we have used the Lonely Children’s Fund is through our quarterly Foster Parent’s Night Out events. This event offers a great form of respite that allows our foster parents to drop their children off with our Social Work staff for a few hours while they go out and enjoy a child-free night and catch up on a bit of self-care and relaxation. Since beginning to offer this event to our foster parents last year, we have received a lot of positive feedback. We have had foster parents tell us that they look forward to each event because it is something they can count on so that they can enjoy a much needed romantic dinner together without having to rely on family members for child care.
Similarly, the children who attend the event love it, too. At each event we offer fun activities for the kids such as playing with toys, watching a movie, and doing crafts. It has also been great to see how quickly the children can make friends with each other and have so much fun together. It also offers the opportunity for siblings who were unable to be placed together to have an additional sibling visit.
At one of the events, a child did not want to leave because he was having so much fun and began to cry when his parents came to pick him up. Other foster parents have told us their children ask when the next event will be.
The Lonely Children’s Fund has been an integral resource that allows us to pay for food and entertainment for the children during this event. Our foster parents have truly appreciated this event and our department has appreciated the generous donations from the community that make it all possible.
HOW TO GIVE
Please send checks and money orders payable to:
Lonely Children’s Fund
Attention: Iredell County DSS
549 Eastside Drive
Statesville, NC 28625
Amberly Farris is a Foster Home Licensing Social Worker III for the Iredell County Department of Social Services.