Arkansas advocates celebrate National Foster Care Month, launch new campaign
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark, – To celebrate the start of National Foster Care Month, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and community partners launched a new campaign focused on certain industries they say can make a difference in the state foster care system.
In 2023, Sanders helped to launch Every Child Arkansas, a network of advocates and organizations geared towards closing the gaps in foster care.
Arkansas Department of Human Services in need of more foster families
Initially, Every Child Arkansas was just focused on faith-based organizations, but after seeing success with the growth of foster families and the continued need for new volunteers, the network is shifting the attention to healthcare, education and business organizations; hoping employers can spread the message and encourage others to get involved.
While much has been done, advocates admit the state still has a long way to go.
“I realize it takes more than me, it takes more than our organization,” Derek Brown, with Arkansas Baptist Children and Family Ministries, said. “It takes all of us working together and that’s what this is about.”
“So many children have found loving, caring homes through our state’s foster families, and I know that this group’s work will do even more soon,” the governor added.
As part of the campaign, organizations are asked to do three things: celebrate their current foster families, support those hoping to foster, and inspire others to get involved.
The other big takeaway was that two groups in foster care especially need help: older kids, including teens, and sibling groups.
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More information on Every Child Arkansas can be found at EveryChildArkansas.org.
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