One important goal of the plan is to finalize the formation of the FAFS Foundation.   For FAFS, having a Board of Directors made up primarily of resource parents is what has kept us true to our mission and allowed us to become the leading statewide advocacy agency for resource families – foster, adoptive and relative care providers.  Having the FAFS Foundation, with its own unique Board dedicated to fundraising for FAFS, will free the FAFS Board of Directors to keep their focus squarely on our mission.  We are pleased to announce that we recently received IRS approval for the FAFS Foundation Board! 

We are also striving to diversify our funding.  To this end, we participated in the first ever nation-wide walk for foster care, Walk Me Home…to the place I belong.  This event, held October 19, 2008, was a resounding success and has raised over $25,000 to date.  Thank you to everyone who participated!  Look for our next walk in the fall of 2009!

Two other equally important goals are to strengthen our volunteer base and to strengthen the relationship and interaction between FAFS and our volunteer committees/affiliates in each county.  Remaining true to our history as a grass roots organization, we recognize that one of the most important ways to provide support to foster and adoptive parents and relative care providers is to connect them to others families who are dealing with similar issues.  Sharing frustrations and joys as well as resources is an important part of our county meetings.  Holding training in each county, where it is convenient for families to attend, helps foster and adoptive parents acquire the skills needed to care for the children placed in their homes.   Social events, which bring families together and help children in foster care to understand that they are not alone in their experiences, are encouraged.

Our leadership at the county level are all volunteers, almost all of them busy resource parents themselves.  We have many wonderful leaders who give hours of their time to support resource families in their communities.  FAFS has made the commitment to strengthen the relationship between the county leaders and our Board of Directors.  We are also seeking opportunities to connect the leadership with one another, so each of our counties has the benefit of learning from one another, sharing ideas supporting one another.

Communication

It is my belief that one of the most important qualities of any successful organization is communication.  This is particularly true of advocacy organizations.  In order to be the statewide voice of foster and adoptive families, we need to hear from you!  Connect with the volunteer committee in your county, come out to meetings, contact your Resource Family Advocate at FAFS, plan to attend one of our special events in the coming year.  You can also give me a call at 732-275-4654.

Together we can work to improve the lives of children in out-of-home placement in New Jersey.