The Riverside Project

Heading back to school can be a whirlwind of school supplies, fresh backpacks, new clothes, and more as you prepare your child for the exciting year ahead. However, for children who are involved in foster care, the start of the school year can present some unique challenges for themselves and their support systems. That's why we've compiled educational resources to help support youth and their families as they face these academic challenges. Access everything from a list of foster care liaisons in the Houston area to educational nonprofits who help children in foster care meet their educational goals, and much more. You don't have to face this school year alone. We know how important it is for every child and their caregivers to be able to navigate the complex educational system. Access the full resource here: https://lnkd.in/gBFjfTEU

Our team enjoyed attending this Community Appreciation event together, hosted by the DFPS Faith Based Community Engagement team. We're grateful to be part of a network of collaboration making a difference in the Houston area!

Have you gone to the theaters to see Sound of Hope yet? It’s a film based on a true story that happened right here in Texas. Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot is inspired by the powerful true story of Donna and Reverend Martin as they ignite a fire in the hearts of their rural church to embrace some of the more difficult children to place within the child welfare system. Typically, this refers to older children who have experienced very high levels of trauma. By doing the impossible—inspiring 22 families to adopt 77 children—this East Texas community proved that together, with real, determined love, we are able to advocate for our cities’ most vulnerable kids. The film was released on July 4th and brought in $6.8 million at the box office over opening weekend. We know there may be many people who have either seen this movie already, or plan to, and might be wondering how it should inform our perspective of foster care, adoption, and our responsibility as a community to act. To help guide the conversation around the film, our team has put together our five biggest takeaways from the movie: https://lnkd.in/gJhuDf7R

How does Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI), or trauma-informed care, help transform how we care for children in foster care? To help us dive deeper into this topic, Mitzi McBride joins us on The Riverside Project Podcast. Mitzi is not only well-versed in TBRI® but is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years of experience guiding children and families through their journey to emotional healing. She has an extensive background in foster care, community mental health, school-based counseling, and years of international orphan care in Zambia, Africa. Mitzi currently runs her own practice called Soul Care Magnolia in the north part of Houston. She is also a dedicated wife and mother to seven children, both biological and adoptive. In this episode, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of TBRI®, why it’s important to shift from traditional parenting methods, the impact of being attuned to a child’s needs, and much more. Listen in here: https://lnkd.in/gk_iNC4G #tbri #traumainformed #traumainformedcare

Our Community Resources Coordinator Anna and TRP Volunteer Gail Jackson spent time at the Houston Furniture Bank recently! Gail is a new volunteer of ours that has started meeting families at the furniture bank to help guide them as they find the items that they need. Thanks for finding your place along the River, Gail!

The needs of foster parents matter. They aren't able to pour from an empty cup. But, it is often challenging for them to find time to take breaks or step away to nourish themselves. That’s why we offer a stream-lined, multi-agency certification Babysitter Training Course to equip sitters to serve families in our community! This certification process can be confusing, time-consuming, and expensive, which presents an obstacle to supporting foster families. We do it differently! We want to mitigate the short supply of certified babysitters, and provide more care and connection in our community! If you're a foster family looking for support, or an agency that's looking to make the process easier, this is for you! Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gGMZ8Xv8

One of our goals at The Riverside Project is to mobilize Houston to empower families and transform generations. To this end, we offer resources that build awareness and empower individuals, churches, and organizations to take action. Here are just a few resources we offer: ▶️ The Riverside Project Podcast Each month we bring guests from around Houston and beyond to have conversations to provide a greater understanding of the issues facing our community. ▶️ The Riverside Project Blog We offer practical resources to help you in your journey from finding your place along The River, to becoming a foster parent, and inspirational ways others have made a difference. ▶️ Resources & Training Foster care is not an isolated problem. There are so many systemic issues that affect children and families. As such, we provide resources and training so that together we can begin to build a better future for every family in our community. These resources include guides for prospective foster families, training for churches, a directory of resources in each county, and much more. ▶️ Community Support We cannot do this alone. Regardless of your role, each of us needs support, encouragement, and assistance. That's why we have compiled resources in Houston to help meet physical and medical needs specifically tailored for children in foster care. We also have educational support including foster care liaisons and educational nonprofits that will help children in foster care meet their educational goals. ▶️ As One: The Documentary It is only when we work together AS ONE that we can see children heal and families thrive. On any given day, thousands of Houston's children are in foster care. This documentary shares inspirational stories of what happens when organizations, churches, and individuals collaborate to meet these needs. Access all of these resources at riversideproject.org. Together, we can transform the foster care system in Houston and build a strong community together!

"Everyone can do something" is a phrase we often use, and this quote from Gaelin encompasses the concept well! You'll hear this and more powerful insights from Gaelin in Episode 28, The Extraordinary Power of Belonging. Gaelin Elmore is a dynamic and nationally sought-after keynote speaker, trainer, and thought leader. Motivated by his own traumatic childhood and lack of belonging after over 10 years in the foster care system, he now works with organizations and people to become “belonging-informed” in order to help children overcome trauma and unleash their potential. Listen to this past episode and others wherever you get your podcasts, or listen via the link in our bio! 🎧

Únase a nosotros para un desayuno especial dedicado a nuestros líderes y voluntarios. Este evento es una oportunidad para agradecerles por su arduo trabajo y dedicación a las familias vulnerables de nuestra ciudad, así como para fortalecer nuestra comunidad y compartir ideas sobre futuros proyectos. Durante el desayuno, disfrutaremos de una deliciosa selección de alimentos mientras nos animamos e inspiramos con nuestras experiencias y visiones. Además, habrá tiempo para la interacción y el intercambio de ideas entre todos los asistentes. Regístrate aquí: https://lnkd.in/dX2-CsEE _________________________ We're inviting our Hispanic churches to a special breakfast dedicated to our leader and volunteers on August 31st! This event is an opportunity to thank them for their hard work and dedication to the vulnerable families in our city, as well as to strengthen our community and share ideas about future projects. Learn more, register, or share the information with your Hispanic church leaders here: https://lnkd.in/dX2-CsEE

Here at The Riverside Project, we are passionate about bringing people together AS ONE to see families heal and children thrive. This map showcases the value of collaboration, and represents real stories where we were able to work with various organizations and individuals to meet practical needs, protect the vulnerable, and support families in crisis. Imagine if this were a complete map of every person, church, organization, agency worker, and more working together to transform Houston. The results would be incredible! Where would you see yourself? 💙 Want to hear the stories represented here? Watch our full As One Documentary: https://lnkd.in/dZErVzAa #fostercare #houstontx #houston