Samaritas Celebrating Foster Care Awareness Day on May 7 and Foster Parents This Month

DETROIT, May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Samaritas, Michigan's largest private foster care agency, is challenging Michiganders to "Say Yes" to being a foster parent in 2022.

Throughout May, Samaritas leaders and advocates will "Paint the Town Purple" in communities like Detroit and Grand Rapids to talk about the joy of fostering children who need respite from troubled homes. Personal stories about extraordinary foster families will be featured with the hashtag #SayYestoFosterCare on Samaritas social media channels.

"It takes a loving community to ensure that foster kids have safe, loving foster parents to care for them," said Laura Mitchell, Executive Director of Foster Care, Samaritas. "It's essential that kids who've been neglected, abused, and removed from their home – are nurtured. It's the best gift to help them become a successful adult."  

The need for foster parents is greater than ever before. In 2021, Samaritas could only place 155 foster kids out of 1,195 referrals because it didn't have enough licensed foster parents. Even worse, there weren't enough people to take in children who needed a higher level of care, kids older than six years old, or siblings.

To boost education on the subject, Samaritas is hosting a virtual Foster Care Town Hall on May 19 at 11 a.m. that will offer participants a realistic discussion of why more foster parents, and those of color, are needed in Michigan. This free virtual event will explore the disparities of care for children of color and what child protection leaders are doing to solve the issue. We encourage you to register at samaritas.co/FosterCareTownHall to join this discussion. Visit Samaritas.org/fostercare to learn more about orientation sessions and what it takes to get licensed.

­Since 1934, Samaritas has served others as an expression of the love of Christ with programs to help Michigan's troubled families and disadvantaged individuals thrive. Samaritas is the state's largest foster care agency with a full suite of family preservation programs and options like Substance Use Disorder (SUD) services to keep families together. Samaritas also manages five senior living facilities with a variety of geriatric care options. Additionally, Samaritas has resettlement services for refugees, housing solutions for adults with developmental disabilities, homeless families and Affordable Living communities for those who qualify for HUD housing. Visit samaritas.org for more information. Follow us on Facebook @IAmSamaritas, Twitter @IAmSamaritas or on Instagram @WeAreSamaritas.

SOURCE Samaritas