By Lynda Hammett

Fostering and adopting isn’t for everyone but caring for foster child is for everyone!

Here are ways you can help foster children and families:

CASA – This is an amazing organization that are the voices for foster children in court. There are several ways to be involved:

– Become a CASA volunteer. There is some training but you will stand right beside children and help be the eyes and ears of the court.

– Donations – Every holiday and child’s birthday CASA provides gifts. You can pick up a few extra Easter items and drop them off at the office. Also, you know sometimes your kid gets multiples of the same toy from birthday or holidays – instead of exchanging it donate it to CASA for another child to enjoy. The donations they need for Easter are baskets, grass fill, eggs, and candy.

RESPITE – I know that is a funny word that you probably have no clue what it means (I didn’t know before this adventure). It simply means babysit. You do have to become certified to provide this service. Foster parents sometimes just need a breather or a family emergency comes up and they need to take care of the issue. As a respite provider you would get asked if you can watch the child/children for a weekend or a few days. This is a huge help! If your interested in this you can contact your local Department of Children & Family Services.

FOSTER CLOSET – There is not a foster closet in our community. The closest ones are in Shreveport. A foster closet is simply a room that has clothes of all different sizes and other items like strollers, highchairs, some toys, etc that when a foster family gets a new child they can reach out and get some items that are needed for the child. This is something that is desperately needed. A case worker drops off a child at a home with some items but the first 48 hours families have to figure out everything that child needs. It is so hard to make it an hour away to get things that have been donated. If anyone or a group would be interested in this please contact me on my Facebook page “Foster Mom Louisiana” and I would love to help answer any questions and help with this project.

I encourage everyone to find a foster family and love on them! Simply knowing people are there for you if you need them or knowing as you are praying for the kids you are loving there are others praying for them as well makes a world of difference!