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In this issue: Emergency Foster Care, Hispanic Heritage Month, Recognizing Child Welfare Workers, Gala, Winter Clothing Drive, Volunteering, Jobs at Shelter and More

New Partnership will Address Urgent Need for Emergency Foster Care

Shelter is proud to announce a $2,000,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to partner with Let It Be Us for a new Emergency Foster Care Program.

Being removed from their home, for whatever reason, is a traumatic time for a young person, and having a soft place to land is critical. However, it may take days or even weeks to match the child with the right foster home. Emergency foster homes fill that critical gap providing a safe, nurturing environment. Even though emergency care is short-term, it makes a significant difference in the life of a child.

Though Shelter will continue with our traditional and home-of-relative foster care, emergency care is a new program requiring parents to have special licensing and training, and they receive additional financial support.

Matching a youth with the right family is what Let It Be Us is all about. Their mission is to inspire foster care and adoption and they utilize their many resources to recruit foster families, assist with the licensing process, and match youths with families.

Founder and Executive Director Susan McConnell says, “The fact that the United States has over 100,000 children in the foster care system who are awaiting adoption is simply unacceptable, as is the fact that Illinois ranks last in the nation at achieving permanency as well as adoption for our waiting children.”

Working together, Let It Be Us and Shelter will fill a need in our community to help our most vulnerable children. If you’d like information on how you can partner with us and be that special foster parent in a child’s life, or if you simply have questions, join the virtual event hosted by Let It Be Us and Shelter.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month With Kids
Books that Celebrate Latino Voices and Culture

Each year, September 15 marks the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, which was designated as a time to recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Mexico, Spain, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

Exposing children to other cultures and heritages has tremendous benefits, and reading together is one of the best ways to teach kids to be citizens of the world. Books can help foster an understanding and appreciation for the challenges, traditions, history, and values of other cultures and help us all become more open to different perspectives.

See PBS' list of 11 Inspiring Picture Books Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
For more ways to celebrate, visit https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/

Honoring Our Frontline Workers
Child Welfare Worker Appreciation Week is September 12-16

Please join us in recognizing Shelter's incredible team of frontline workers. Working in child welfare during “normal” times is already difficult, but these professionals have endured this work during both a pandemic and a workforce shortage crisis. In addition, Shelter families are experiencing tremendous needs and the number of children in foster care is at an all-time high. Our dedicated workers are in the trenches every day, changing and saving lives, doing very hard work with our most vulnerable children. Thank you for your commitment and dedication to protecting children, strengthening families, and transforming communities.

We are grateful to the following organizations who have made generous grants or gifts to Shelter this past month. 

LeasePlan for sponsoring our upcoming Trivia Night
Hanover Township Mental Health Board for providing funds for staff training
Lettuce Grow for funding an indoor garden at our Buckholz Group Home
AmVets for the donation of new kids clothing and shoes

If you share our vision that all children grow up in safe and nurturing homes, please support us today. 

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