Anna Masci’s Post

☑️ The News: June 19, 2024 - Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) has announced an increase in financial support for families who foster and then adopt children from the foster care system. The Summary: Effective immediately, families fostering children in Indiana will receive a higher stipend, aiming to alleviate some of the financial burdens associated with fostering and adoption. This increase is designed to encourage more families to consider fostering with the intention of adoption, providing a more stable and supportive environment for children in need. The Impact: This policy change is expected to significantly improve the quality of life for foster children by ensuring they have access to necessary resources and support. It also aims to reduce the number of children in the foster care system by making adoption a more feasible option for foster families. With increased financial assistance, families can better provide for the health, education, and general well-being of foster children. Source: https://lnkd.in/gGu-aHq7 #plusoneadoption #familyplanning #adoption #adoptionnews

Did you know? The Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas holds 65,000 people. Multiply this by six and you get 390,000, which falls short of accommodating the 400,000 kids in foster care today. Nationwide, there are only half the amount of homes needed to house them. One of the reasons for the shortage is that 50% of new foster parents quit within the first year, with many stating lack of community support as a reason. That's where our Foster Friendly program comes in. We help increase foster parent retention by equipping businesses, churches and entire communities to support and encourage local foster families. As a business leader, you can make a huge difference in the lives of foster families and the children they serve through: A) Corporate sponsorships Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gpG2DDsC B) Offering discounts to foster families on our free Foster Friendly App Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gasfpedz Join the movement and let's make sure these local heroes receive the community support they deserve! #fosterfriendly #nfl #superbowl Statistics source: Lifesong for Orphans

Seeing stats like this can be disheartening, until you realize that it is absolutely possible to change this reality when everyone does their part. These are our kids, America's kids, and we can all take a step TODAY to flip the script for their future. Because it's our future, too. Help more kids find families through corporate sponsorships: https://lnkd.in/en7KrGj2 #superbowl #fostercareawareness

50% of foster kids are in 5% of U.S. counties. While children of all races are affected by the foster care system, Black children are disproportionately represented and face significant disparities in treatment and outcomes. These children are at a higher risk for negative outcomes later in life due to systemic issues and societal factors. Our Empower Every Community initiative focuses on addressing these critical issues by empowering local churches to take meaningful action. Churches, deeply embedded in their communities and trusted by their members, are uniquely positioned to help reverse racial disproportionality and improve outcomes for all families. Through research, we’ve identified 2,009 “Crux Codes”—specific zip codes where local churches can have a transformative impact. By leveraging the trust and relationships these churches have, we aim to reduce the number of children entering foster care and strengthen families through community-based Care-Sharing. Together, we can address the disparities in the child welfare system and create a more equitable and supportive environment for vulnerable children and families. https://lnkd.in/gjs9CG_7

🖇STRATEGIC SATURDAYS🖇 This month I was honored to support the team of Royal Family Kids Anchorage by speaking at their annual fundraising and informational event, Night to Remember. This ministry serves children in foster care with some of the deepest trauma by providing a week in the outdoors surrounded by vetted, highly trained adults to help them have a normal childhood experience. We discussed 20 ways to support the foster care community (and only one of them involved being a foster parent). Why is this being posted under this “Strategic Saturday” series? Because caring shouldn’t be something we do “strategically”. Caring is a lifestyle. Caring is who we strive to be. Caring cannot be falsified (although some will try and some organizations do a good attempt at it). You know what caring looks like deep down. My encouragement today is to always advocate for the care of the least of these in strategic means. Use your abilities to advance those who have no voice. It’s the most fulfilling thing you’ll ever do. Keep Leading Forward, D. #fostercare #leadership #childwelfare #childadvocacy

We find meaning in life when we find our purpose. Mine is to always find ways to make an impact on other people’s lives. Through my company helping improve the well-being of people, through personal coaching, or volunteering, I fulfill that purpose. This weekend I volunteered a few hours to recruit fellow volunteers for a cause that is close to my heart and that redefines the essence of giving and receiving. I work with abused kids in the foster care system through an organization called CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). We are judge-appointed advocates to personally advocate for individual cases of children going through the foster care system. My job is to ensure that the children assigned to me receive the best physical, medical, educational, and emotional care from all parts involved in the process. And to regularly report, as an independent party, to the judge in charge of the case. Each child we meet carries a story, a dream, and a silent plea for understanding, security, and love. As advocates, we don't just speak for them in court; we listen with our hearts, offering the emotional, social, and physical support they so desperately need while we also ensure they receive the professional care they are entitled to by the system. It's in these moments of connection that we find our true purpose and witness the transformative power of compassion. This is my invitation to you to step into a role that promises more than just volunteer hours; it offers a journey of growth, fulfillment, and profound forever impact. Whether it’s with CASA or another organization committed to nurturing the futures of children in need, your contribution can create ripples of change that last a lifetime. If in the Houston area, you can find us at www.CASASpeaks4Kids.com #PurposeDriven #LifePurpose #EveryChildCounts #BeAVoice #ChildAdvocacy #PurposefulLiving #CASA #VolunteerWithImpact #ChangeALife #FosterCareSupport #EmpowermentThroughAdvocacy #TogetherWeCan #EverySingleChild

🩵 May is Foster Youth Awareness Month 🩵 As we step into this pivotal month, it’s crucial to reflect on the challenges faced by foster youth and the systemic issues that can lead to their exploitation. At Freedom Forward, we're dedicated to transforming the systems that too often leave young people vulnerable to exploitation, particularly in the foster care system. 🔎Did you know? Youth in foster care are at a significantly higher risk of falling into exploitation, including commercial sexual exploitation. This isn't just an issue; it's a systemic failure—one that we are committed to addressing. Our work in San Francisco focuses on empowering foster youth, providing them with the tools and support they need to thrive, not just survive. 🫶This Foster Youth Awareness Month, we celebrate the resilience and strength of foster youth. We also reaffirm our commitment to dismantling the pipeline that leads from foster care to exploitation. Through advocacy, direct support, and systemic reform, we aim to create a future where all young people are free from exploitation. 📣 Join us in spreading awareness and support for foster youth. Your voice can help amplify the need for systemic change and ensure that every young person has the opportunity to lead a safe and fulfilling life. 🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵 #FosterYouthAwareness #EndYouthExploitation #FreedomForward #SystemicChange #Nonprofit #YouthAdvocacy #SanFrancisco #HYPEcenterSF

September is #KinshipCareMonth! About 2.5 million children in the U.S. are being raised by kinship families. Generations United just released their 2024 report: Pathways to Success: K-12 Education Support for Kinship and Grandfamilies. The report details that kinship families face challenges that often impact a child's education, such as legal barriers to educational enrollment & communication barriers with schools. However, children do better academically when raised by kin compared to when in non-relative foster care, and connecting them with needed services & resources can help them thrive in school and beyond! See the full report to learn more: https://lnkd.in/e2rBfxzh

May is #NationalFosterCareMonth. ❗Did you know? According to the Children’s Bureau, there are over 391,000 children and youth in foster care. Approximately 20,000 youth age out of the foster care system each year without a permanent family. Organizations like Foster Angels of Central Texas work hard to advocate for youth in foster care. We are proud to support @fosterangelsctx and the vital work they do for children in Central Texas. This month, let’s take action to support organizations who make a critical difference in our Austin and Central Texas community! From financial gifts to volunteering to advocacy - there are an abundance of ways we can get involved. Visit www.childwelfare.gov to learn more about National Foster Care Month. Visit www.fosterangelsctx.org to learn more about this incredible organization. #FosterCareAwareness #NationalFosterCareMonth #FosterCare #FosterLove #FosterHope #SupportFosterFamilies #FosterYouth #FosterCommunity #FosterCareMonth #FosterCareSupport #FosterHeroes #AustinTX #ATXRealtors #AustinRealEstate #AustinHomes #ATXCommunity #AustinFamilies #AustinLife #ATXCharity #FosterAngels #FosterAngelsCTX #PowersPropertyGroup #PowersPropertyGroupTX

Meet Diego and Miguel, two brothers with big dreams and an unbreakable bond. Living with their elderly grandmother, they faced daily challenges as they balanced school with caregiving responsibilities. Despite their love for learning, they often found it hard to simply be kids, and they lived with the fear of being separated from one another. Diego would say, "School is our ticket to a better future," but for a long time, their aspirations felt just out of reach. Did you know that many siblings in foster care face similar struggles? 50% are separated because there aren’t enough foster homes that can keep them together. You can help change that! By becoming a foster parent or supporting sibling-focused programs, you can ensure that brothers like Diego and Miguel stay together, facing life’s challenges hand in hand. Join us in making a difference for siblings in foster care. Learn more about how you can help by clicking here! http://ow.ly/BnmX50LlxLn #Thornwell #SiblingsInCare #FosterTogether