November 2019 Newsletter
EDUCATION NEWS
GIVING THANKS FOR 2019
Our Education Program has had an incredible year! We hosted our 8th annual Choosing to Care Conference in February. We are so grateful to each of the volunteers and breakout speakers who gave of their time to make the day a success. We are incredibly grateful to Tara VanderWoude for traveling to be with us for the day! She is such a talented communicator with so much to share. And a HUGE thank you goes to Watkinsville Baptist Church for the use of their space, but also to their staff for supporting us throughout the weekend with childcare, AV needs, and so much more.
In addition to conference, we hosted four Learning to Care Workshops. All of which Faith Presbyterian Church graciously hosted. We are so grateful when the local churches open their arms (and also their doors) to support us in our efforts to care for foster and adopted children.
PREPARING THE WAY FOR 2020
As we look to 2020, we are excited for another Choosing to Care Conference to start off the year. We would like to thank Prince Avenue Baptist Church for hosting conference next year and all of the work they will be doing with us to prepare the day for over 300 adults and 150 children to join us for the day. Mark your calendars for February 1, 2020. Registration is open.
ADOPTION NEWS
WE GIVE THANKS FOR CONTINUED GROWTH
Our Adoption Assistance Grant continues to support more families, and for that we are so very thankful. It is truly an honor to come alongside these families and support them with a financial gift. But the truth is, it is YOU who make that possible. We are simply the pathway for your gift to get to these families, so to everyone who donated, sponsored an event, or volunteered at our Both Hands Project, THANK YOU. It is a privilege to witness so many families choose adoption and bring their sons and daughters home.
Our Adoption Support Program has grown in 2019, and we are so thankful for everyone who has helped us along the way! To the adoptive parents and prospective adoptive parents who joined us for roundtable discussions and shared their insights with us, we are thankful. We give thanks for Bryan and Lisa Miller, Steven and Kelly Brooks, and Matt and Savanah Osburn for hosting our gatherings.
FOSTER CARE NEWS
Our Foster Care Program is truly the work of many hands, so many of which go unnoticed throughout the year. We would like to take a moment to thank and celebrate those who are partnering with us. We cannot do this work alone!
Thank you to
our local DFCS for the hard work they do to keep kids safe
our church partners for graciously allowing us to come alongside them as we work together to care for children and families in our community
the foster families who intentionally and compassionately serve children in need of safe and loving homes
our church Advocates who serve as champions within their congregations to highlight the needs of the foster care community
the Care Team Volunteers who faithfully serve foster families by meeting their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs
our Clothes Closet volunteers who organize the closet every week and make it a warm, welcoming place for families to shop
Missy Jersawitz who graciously leads our monthly Care Team Volunteer Orientation
Deborah Dugger who faithfully monograms every bag, pillowcase, and towel for our My Name Matters kits