february news
honoring black history month
February is Black History Month, a time for us to reflect on the experiences, contributions, and resilience of Black communities. Within the foster care system, Black youth are disproportionately overrepresented, which makes awareness and intentional support crucial for mentors, volunteers, and advocates.
Ángela Quijada-Banks, a woman of African and Indigenous descent who personally experienced the foster care system and is now a powerful advocate, wrote the heartening and resonant book, The Black Foster Youth Handbook. This book is written for young people navigating foster care, offering hope and guidance to work toward healing and thriving beyond the system. It is also incredibly relevant and helpful for supportive adults who are walking alongside youth in care. We highly recommend it!!
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Foster-Youth-Handbook-successfully/dp/1735784206/
resource: Free virtual lunch & learn
Join us on Wed., February 25thfrom 12-1pm via Zoom for A New Lens on Poverty and Trauma-Informed Care: Refresher and Next Steps, a Virtual Lunch & Learn focused on practical application in the world of Safe Families for Children and Safe Families PLUS. Let’s keep learning how to show up well for individuals and families navigating trauma and poverty!
research spotlight
The Importance of Mentoring Relationships for Youth in Care
Christian Alliance for Children has created an overview/infographic of research on adults with foster care experience, highlighting how to best support youth transitioning into adulthood. One of the most important findings, and foundational to all the others, is the vital importance of relationships and social networks, including connections with mentors like you.
