Wendy's of Missouri :: Families for Children

- Families for Children -

Foster parents are adults who open their hearts, arms, and
homes to some of our most precious and vulnerable children.
They help children prepare for uncertain futures and build
strengths to face inevitable challenges and opportunities.

People who are considering foster care have a lot of questions, but where are the answers? Wendy's of Missouri is committed to giving people answers to their foster care questions. The following pages go into detail about the difference between foster care and adoption, a short summary of what respite care is, post-placement overview, and available training programs.

Foster Care Overview	Adoption Overview
Respite Care Overview	Post Placement Support Overview (Adoption)
STARS and Spaulding Training Overview

Families for Children Mission Statement

"Meeting the needs of foster children in our community through recruitment, retention and support of foster families."

Families for Children History

Families for Children is a project of the Council of Churches of the Ozarks. It began in October of 1999 and was the first new project since 1995. It was developed in response to a severe shortage of foster homes in Greene county. At that time, there were 650 children in foster care in Greene County. As of November 2003, that number has increased to 850. Nearly one-third of these children have to be placed outside of Greene County and siblings frequently have to be separated.

While recruitment of foster homes remains our primary objective, we have also started the "Pack-A-Bag-With-Love" project as well as "The Kids' Clothes Closet."

Recruitment

Twenty-five families have completed the foster parent training and have become licensed foster parents. They are caring for 50 children. Statistics show that it takes an average of 18 months from the time a person first hears of the need for foster homes until they make the make the decision to begin training. We are "planting lots of seeds" at this time. We're confident that the number will grow.

"Pack-A-Bag-With-Love"

When children first enter foster care they frequently have only the clothing they are wearing. When they have to move to another foster home, they put all of their belongings into a trash bag. We felt this was so demeaning that we developed this project. Children currently entering foster care receive a new duffle bag filled with items appropriate for their age group from infant through age 17. Many of these children do not even own a toothbrush or toothpaste.

Bags for infants contain diapers, shampoo, blankets, toys, formula, and socks. Bags for children ages two through five contain socks, underwear, toothbrush and toothpaste, hair brush, stuffed animals, etc. Middle school and high school bags include socks, underwear, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, hair dryer, curling iron, makeup, perfume, etc. Many of the bags contains disposable cameras. We have had an excellent response from churches and the community at large to support this project. Many groups donate bags on a regular basis.

"The Kids' Clothes Closet"

Foster parents receive a yearly clothing allowance for the children. The allowance can range from $150 to $250 depending upon the child's age. Missouri ranks 50th in the U.S. for the reimbursement to foster parents for room and board.

"The Kids' Clothes Closet" provides new clothing to foster children twice a year allowing for the change in seasons. The children receive two complete outfits of clothing, three sets of underwear and socks, a gift card for new shoes, and a winter coat once a year. In the first year of operation we have served 350 children, many of them twice.

"The Kids' Clothes Closet" is located at 949 E. Primrose, Springfield, Missouri 65807 and is staffed by volunteers from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.

Want to help? Find out how