May is Foster Care Awareness Month and it’s the perfect time to welcome a dynamic agency working to support families in the foster care system—the Atlanta Angels Fund.
Statistics say that youth in foster care experience higher rates of negative outcomes such as homelessness, unemployment, and incarceration, compared to their peers who are not in foster care. The team at Atlanta Angels wants to change those statistics. They walk alongside children, youth, and families in the foster care community by offering consistent support through intentional giving, relationship building, and mentorship. They do this because they believe that children should have a deep sense of belonging, and that caregivers should be radically supported on their journey. They act on these beliefs through two robust programs known as their Love Box program and their Dare to Dream program.
Their Love Box program provides wrap-around support to foster families by matching volunteers with foster families who provide physical necessities such as gift/gas cards, household supplies, clothing, groceries, and more. More importantly, they provide relational support and meet practical needs through things like babysitting, family activities, housekeeping/lawn service, tutoring and a friendly ear to listen. This additional support to the fostering family has been shown to reduce the rate of turnover that often occurs in the foster system.
The Dare to Dream program is a mentorship program to help youth in the foster care system reach their fullest potential. Volunteers help their mentees navigate the many milestones of life by meeting practical and emotional needs as they help guide and encourage them through tailored goal-setting and life skills development. This program is designed to create relationships which have been shown to transform lives on many levels.
If you are interested in supporting this important work, you may make a donation to the Atlanta Angels fund here.
