Unique Ways to Bless Foster Families

Unique Ways to Bless Foster Families
Sometimes it can be hard to identify ways to bless a foster family as they navigate their journey through foster care. From the outside looking in, it may be difficult to understand the day-to-day needs or to know what would be helpful. In addition to re-visiting your Support Team Roster, below are some unique suggestions to show appreciation and support. Pick an idea or resource you can offer and follow through. When support team members continue checking in and offering help, it provides parents with the relief and energy they need to keep providing high quality care to children. 

​Host a virtual card drive: Is your family encouraged by words of affirmation? Consider rallying support team members to e-mail, text or mail encouraging notes to your family. Remind your family that they are doing good work and are supported by their network.
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Give a gas card: Foster families transport children to many weekly appointments, some a significant distance from home. A gas card can go a long way in helping ease the expense of travel.

Offer help before nap or bedtime: Preparing and settling kids for sleep times can be stressful. As appropriate, consider helping during sleep times, and bring a favorite treat to share with parents after the children are sleeping!

Care for pets: Taking the dog out for a walk or picking up a bag of pet food can be tasks that get put on the backburner when days are full. Offer to stop by and give the household pets a little attention and exercise.

Become an Alternate Care provider:  As a natural support to the family, you can provide up to 72 hours of care for a foster child in your home at the request of the foster parent and permission of their certifying agency.  You do not need to complete training but will need a background check and complete fingerprinting. 

Send books or sponsor an audio book subscription: Foster parents must meet set training hour requirements each year so materials related to learning more about foster care and parenting can count towards earning those hours. Books and audio books can also provide a little quiet time for kids and parents.
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Hire a cleaning service: Household cleaning can be difficult to get to when parenting children from hard places while navigating multiple weekly appointments and other family commitments. Hiring someone to clean once a month or every two weeks, especially in time-intensive areas like bathrooms, can be a huge blessing!