Donations for foster children sought
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on November 25, 2007 2:00 AM
The Wayne County Foster Children's Fund is seeking donations to help foster parents provide a cheerful Christmas for the children in their care.
More children than ever are in foster care, said Rebecca Rouse, adoption supervisor with the program. Foster parents receive a stipend, but it isn't always enough to provide a child with the things he or she wants, or needs, at the holidays, she said.
"Our numbers are up," she said. "So the money we get from the community is what we can use for Christmas.
"We want the children to have the some advantages that all children have," she said. "We want them to have Christmas just like other children do."
There are about 135 children of all ages in foster care in Wayne County, she said.
Cash donations are best, Mrs. Rouse said, since that allows foster parents to best meet the children's wishes.
Donations may be made to the Wayne County Department of Social Services, 301 N. Herman St., Box HH, Goldsboro, N.C. 27530 and should be earmarked for the Foster Children's Fund.
Mrs. Rouse said 100 percent of the donations go to the children. Some of the money may be used to help the children after the holidays, she said. When special events come up, such as school field trips, foster parents often don't have the extra money available to make attending possible for the children in their care.
She added that more foster parents are always needed and that anyone interested in opening their home to a child in need is asked to contact the agency.