Inaugural foster care awareness walk to take place
April 30, 2009May is National Foster Care Month, a time to raise public awareness of the nearly 500,000 American children in foster care. These young people are living away from their home because their own families are in crisis and are unable to provide for their needs. Foster Care Month provides a call to action for the community to come forward to support children in reaching their full potential. With guidance and support from nurturing adults, children & youth in foster case are capable of overcoming the repercussion of previous abuse and neglect.
The first annual Foster Care Awareness Walk will take place on Friday, May 8, 2009. The two mile walk will promote awareness and raise interest in the need for foster care in the community.
The Foster Care Awareness Walk is presented by ACTION Youth Advisory Board (Athens Together in Overcoming Negatives). The event will kick off at 3:30 pm at the Athens County Courthouse. Community members are invited to walk down the sidewalks of Court Street, Carpenter Street, and East State Street, ending on the front lawn of Athens County Children Services. Water and popsicles will be available after the walk.
Like all children, youth in foster care deserve a sense of well bring and community involvement. During the walk participants will be holding 104 white balloons to represent each youth currently in foster care in Athens County. Providing support to foster children and their foster parents can make an impact that lasts a lifetime for a foster child. We hope community members will consider how they can help by serving as foster parents, kinship caregivers, advocates or volunteers to help protect children, strengthen families, and secure futures.
For more information on the first annual Foster Care Awareness Walk, please call Athens County Children Services at 740-592-3061.
