Recently, I was talking to someone at an event about fostering and adopting older children. This person was familiar with the topic, but not only did they have a lot of questions, they also had many misconceptions about it.
Incorrect information or a lack of knowledge can be a big deterrent when recruiting adults to be foster or adoptive parents. We hope that people will seek out the answers they need, but sometimes, people don't. This can be disheartening, since some amazing potential foster/adoptive parents might miss out on the experience simply because of a lack of information.
Each month, we hold two free, no obligation orientations on foster and adoption. These orientations are the first step to learning more about the program and process of f&a. Couples and individuals can meet our staff, which is a huge part of the process. Finding an agency that you trust and can work with is key. Our staff answers questions and provides information that is in-depth and accurate.
If you are considering fostering or adopting a child or sibling group, we encourage you to do some investigating and talk to the experts.
Here is more information about our f&a program:
http://settlementhome.org/foster-parents
Here are some additional resources I've found that can provide information on foster and adoption for older children.
http://www.adoptionissues.org/adopting_older_children.html
http://adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=1554
News and updates from The Settlement Home for Children.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
Cooking Up Something Good
Each week a beautiful box of organic produce is delivered to our campus. The box is different each week. There's salad greens, spinach, fennel, kale, sweet potatoes, citrus and beets, just to name a few. We love this special partnership with have with Johnson's Backyard Garden.
The produce is not only gorgeous, but it's also healthy and tasty. It allows our girls the opportunity to try new things and taste new flavors they might not be familiar eating. It's a fun and learning opportunity, as well as a bonding one. Staff spend time with the girls showing them how to prepare and use the vegetables. The hope is that they try new experiences, learn how to cook and prepare food, and develop a better understanding of where their food comes from.
Here are two dishes created with ingredients from a recent box from Johnson's Backyard Garden. Yum!
The produce is not only gorgeous, but it's also healthy and tasty. It allows our girls the opportunity to try new things and taste new flavors they might not be familiar eating. It's a fun and learning opportunity, as well as a bonding one. Staff spend time with the girls showing them how to prepare and use the vegetables. The hope is that they try new experiences, learn how to cook and prepare food, and develop a better understanding of where their food comes from.
Here are two dishes created with ingredients from a recent box from Johnson's Backyard Garden. Yum!
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| Salad greens and fennel |
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| Spinach and egg whites breakfast with grapefruit |
On a recent field trip to Johnson's Backyard Garden, our girls learned all about organic farming. We even brought home some tomato plants for our spring garden!
Monday, March 12, 2012
Birthdays are special around here
Birthdays are a special day. They are uniquely your special day. Whether everyone admits it or not, I think we all like to be remembered on our birthday.
At The Settlement Home, we make it a point to celebrate each child's birthday. Many of the girls who live here have had birthdays where they did not receive a gift or cake. Instead of being joyful, a child can feel sad and alone. We hope to build new, positive memories by making the day fun and special.
Volunteers with Bake a Wish Austin bake and decorate beautiful cakes for our girls on their birthday. The girl picks a theme and flavor for the cake. The baking and decorating skills of the Bake a Wish members are tremendous! From Twilight inspired cakes to a cake decorated in zebra print, each cake is unique and special, made specifically for the birthday girl.
Each girl also receives a birthday gift. These gifts, which are donated by the community, include items such as makeup, art supplies, journals, DVDs, CDs, stuffed animals and much more. We are always looking for birthday gifts for teenage girls, such as posters for decorating their room, makeup, nail polish, CDs, hair care items, flip flops, jewelry, watches, etc. (For more information on donating a birthday wish list item, email ppeart@settlementhome.org.)
We hope that by making their birthday special, the children we serve will feel loved.
Check out these awesome cakes made by Bake a Wish Austin:
At The Settlement Home, we make it a point to celebrate each child's birthday. Many of the girls who live here have had birthdays where they did not receive a gift or cake. Instead of being joyful, a child can feel sad and alone. We hope to build new, positive memories by making the day fun and special.
Volunteers with Bake a Wish Austin bake and decorate beautiful cakes for our girls on their birthday. The girl picks a theme and flavor for the cake. The baking and decorating skills of the Bake a Wish members are tremendous! From Twilight inspired cakes to a cake decorated in zebra print, each cake is unique and special, made specifically for the birthday girl.
Each girl also receives a birthday gift. These gifts, which are donated by the community, include items such as makeup, art supplies, journals, DVDs, CDs, stuffed animals and much more. We are always looking for birthday gifts for teenage girls, such as posters for decorating their room, makeup, nail polish, CDs, hair care items, flip flops, jewelry, watches, etc. (For more information on donating a birthday wish list item, email ppeart@settlementhome.org.)
We hope that by making their birthday special, the children we serve will feel loved.
Check out these awesome cakes made by Bake a Wish Austin:
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Tips on Charitable Giving
The Spring 2012 edition of Austin Man Magazine has a great article on charitable donations. This article outlines six options for estate planning, such as establishing a family foundation or setting up will or trust bequests.
It's worth reading if you are interested in the variety of options you have as a donor.
http://www.atxman.com/charitable-donations-for-the-giving-man
If you are interested in donating to a particular charity, contact the Development Director to discuss options available for you. The Settlement Home, for example, has a Charitable Gift Annuity established at Austin Community Foundation.
No matter how you choose to support a non-profit, your gift will be appreciated for years to come!
It's worth reading if you are interested in the variety of options you have as a donor.
http://www.atxman.com/charitable-donations-for-the-giving-man
If you are interested in donating to a particular charity, contact the Development Director to discuss options available for you. The Settlement Home, for example, has a Charitable Gift Annuity established at Austin Community Foundation.
No matter how you choose to support a non-profit, your gift will be appreciated for years to come!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Pin It!
If you're a fan of all things Pinterest, then find us! The Settlement Home is now on Pinterest and we are loving this new visual social platform.
Our Pinterest boards allow us to visually show what we do at The Settlement Home, as well as follow other non-profits whose missions we support!
If you haven't been on Pinterest, prepare to get hooked! Visit www.pinterest.com and start pinning!
Our Pinterest boards allow us to visually show what we do at The Settlement Home, as well as follow other non-profits whose missions we support!
If you haven't been on Pinterest, prepare to get hooked! Visit www.pinterest.com and start pinning!
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