What if I am not ready, willing, or able to be a foster parent? Are there other ways that I can help and be involved? Can I be a mentor or provide some other type of service?

• Great Questions! Many families start out by becoming a mentor for a child or children in the program. Families and children need support in many forms. We need individuals who are willing to be a “big brother or big sister” to the children - Doing fun activities with them, taking them to fill out job applications, helping to teach them independent living skills such as budgeting, cooking, job skills, etc. There is also a need for people who would be willing to transport children to appointments, babysit, tutor, and many other things. If you have some time and the desire to help a child but you’re just not in a position of becoming a foster parent - Mentoring would be a great way to be involved in the life of a child. In order to be a mentor, we need to run a BACKGROUND CHECK on you and we will need to see proof of auto insurance, along with 3 letters of reference. It is preferred that you have some experience working with children. This position does offer some monetary reimbursement.
  
  We also need families to provide respite services. Respite care is temporary, short term care for children (10 days or less at a time.) Respite care is needed when a child’s foster family has a family emergency, goes on a family vacation, becomes ill, ore just needs a break. Respite parents have to be trained and screened just as foster parents do but the commitment is not as great because the children are only with you for short periods of time.

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