BECOME VOLUNTEER
Volunteer as a tutor, mentor, participate in events.
Volunteer
To increase public awareness of the crisis many families and youth in Los Angeles County are currently facing in foster care. We do this through activities including advocacy work as well as at events where attendees can stop by and learn more at our lawn table.
To improve the quality of lives of children and youth in foster care, homeless, incarcerated or under the supervision of probation through the provision of direct services to the children or to the agencies serving them.
To improve the quality of the lives of children and young people in foster care, homeless, incarcerated or under the supervision of probation through system changes.
Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is just around the corner.
Foster Care Project's Adopt a Child Advocate Caseworker (ACAC) program is collecting nonperishable food for Thanksgiving baskets to be given to the families our caseworkers' work with at the Department of Children and Family Services. We are requesting canned hams that do not require refrigeration, canned fruits and vegetables, boxed mashed potatoes, gravy, and stuffing mixes. Also needed are packaged desserts, cornbread mixes, quick breads, juices, baby food, and diapers. Grocery store gift cards are also welcome.
Donations may be delivered to the Foster Care Project Lawn Table at All Saints Church, Pasadena, before or after church on November 3 and November 11. PLEASE CHECK EXPIRATION DATES ON ALL DONATED FOOD ITEMS.
"My families need food." The Adopt a Child Advocate Caseworker (ACAC) Program recently heard from our "adopted" DCFS caseworker Nirvana Castenada, who said, "My families need food." We are busy putting together emergency bags of groceries. If you would like to help, we are gratefully accepting grocery store gift cards. The most conveniently located stores for these families include, Target, Ralphs, Food4Less, Vons, Stater Bros, Walmart, and Superior. We welcome gift cards in any denomination.
Thank you for your assistance to our families.
Volunteers are still needed to provide all the children in the Foster Care Project's Birthday Club a gift on their birthday. Our mission is simple: to provide a birthday present to every foster child referred to us by the Pasadena Department of Children and Family Services. We have expanded the Birthday Club to include youth transitioning out of foster care, so the age range is from age one to 21. As a volunteer, you will be matched to a child who has an upcoming birthday (suggested gift cost is $25-$40). Once assigned to a foster child or youth, you will be asked to provide the same child or youth a birthday gift every year until he or she is no longer in foster care.
Gifts may be dropped off in Pasadena or mailed in.
If you have experience as a foster or adopted child or adoptive parent, consider sharing your experience by becoming a mentor to a child or parent currently going through the adoption process. The Mentor Program at Five Acres matches mentors with lived experience with children and adults currently involved in foster care and adoption. Mentors must have experience as an adoptee, an adoptive or foster parent, or former foster youth. Five Acres is committed to growing its mentor program and is seeking compassionate adults who would like to make a difference in the lives of adoptive children and parents.
Foster Care Project is happy to be one of the sponsors of the BookTalk+ series that features authors with lived experience being interviewed by another person with lived experience. This month, BookTalk+ will feature RC Harrison, author of Dad@14, being interviewed by Ron Jenkins, a social worker and football coach with lived experience. Young people with lived experience are especially welcome.
To receive the zoom link for the event on Wednesday, October 16 at 5 pm, please register here: www.bit.ly/BookTalkRCH