Local agency, partners to celebrate National Foster Care Month in Gainesville

Foster parents and children will be special guests at the annual Foster Parent Appreciation event in Alachua County.

There are about 60 licensed foster parents in Alachua County, and they and the kids they care for are invited to the Foster Parent Appreciation event to be held from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at Westside Baptist Church at 10000 Newberry Road.

May is National Foster Care Month and those involved with the system highlight the critical need and appreciation for foster parents throughout the month, officials say.

“Foster families are the unsung heroes of the community, opening their hearts and homes to children in need of safety, stability and love,” according to a Partnership for Strong Families (PFSF) press release. “They provide a lifeline for children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or abandonment, offering them a sense of belonging and a chance to thrive despite challenging circumstances.”

Foster parenting is meant to be temporary as the goal is to reunite children with their biological parents, said Chelsea Bowlin, outreach recruitment specialist for PFSF.

“That is extremely important,” Bowlin said.

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Foster parents receive financial support, which varies according to the needs of each child, and all kids in the system receive Medicaid, Bowlin said.

Faith-based and community partners help get the word out about the need for foster parents, Bowlin said, adding that the nonprofit Foster Florida “has always been an amazing partner with PFSF in the past years" by helping with classes that expedite the foster parenting licensing process that has led to 20 families being granted foster parent licensing in the past two years.

Pastor Karl “The Rev.” Anderson of Upper Room Ministries of Greater Gainesville is one of the staunchest advocates for the foster care system locally, Bowlin said.

Advocating for and supporting foster parents and children is near and dear to his heart because it is near and dear to God’s heart, Anderson said.

“God tells us in James 1:27 that pure and faultless religion is that we must watch over widows and orphans,” Anderson said. “It is my duty as a Christian to make sure that we cover them.”

Anderson said he has for several years held a governor-appointed position on the board of One Church One Child of Florida, a private, non-profit, faith-based organization that provides adoption related services and works in partnership with the Florida Department of Children and Families and churches.

The Fosters’ Fruits Ministry at Upper Room Ministries donates items to foster families monthly to help foster children live great and normal lives, Anderson said.

“My ultimate goal is to start a transition house for kids who are leaving the system and entering into adulthood,” Anderson said.

The ages of children needing foster homes are 17 and under, and 64 percent of them are Black in Alachua County, while 24 percent are white and 12 percent are multiracial, Bowlin said, adding there are 225 children who need to be placed in care.

The event Saturday will be family-friendly, and children will have a chance to run around and play. It will also feature games, crafts, food and gift baskets, said Jacob Clore, community engagement specialist for PFSF.

To inquire about becoming a foster parent, email HopePartner@pfsf.org or call 352-244-1615.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Foster families to be celebrated at event in Gainesville Saturday