By mid-November the days are shorter, the atmospheric condition cooler, as well as the holidays are only exactly about the corner. Home for the holidays is a mutual theme this fourth dimension of year. But, what if you lot were a kid or teenager inwards foster aid without a permanent dwelling as well as family? Suddenly the holidays don’t appear thence warm as well as inviting. Did you lot know that at that topographic point are to a greater extent than than 800 children available for adoption inwards Virginia’s foster aid system? November is National Adoption Month.
Debbie Johnston, Founder as well as President of Care Advantage, Inc., a dwelling wellness aid company, was late named Virginia’s Adoption Champion yesteryear Governor Terry McAuliffe as well as she is passionate virtually helping children detect families. Johnston was adopted yesteryear a loving Virginia identify unit of measurement at the historic menstruum of iii as well as she credits her success to the rigid foundation that her identify unit of measurement provided.
“This initiatory is extremely closed to my heart, as well as I volition operate tirelessly inwards my novel lay every bit Adoption Champion to detect homes for our Commonwealth’s especial foster children,” said Johnston upon accepting her novel role. As Virginia’s Adoption Champion she hopes to move a phonation for foster aid children, operate to elevate awareness virtually adoption, as well as assist elevate funds for programs that assist foster children.
Johnston is a electrical current fellow member of the Reynolds Community College Foundation Board that is devoted to securing soul resources to assist back upward Reynolds as well as its students
One such program, Great Expectations, is offered at Reynolds. Johnston noted, “Great Expectations is such a corking program! It actually fills a need for the older kids inwards foster care.” The Great Expectations Program industrial plant with youth, aged 17 to 24 who are or stimulate got been inwards foster care, to consummate high school, attain access to a community college teaching as well as transition successfully from the foster aid organisation to living independently. Without social or identify unit of measurement support, foster aid children sense pregnant challenges living on their own, but alongside access to teaching foster aid youth tin forcefulness out detect satisfying, well-paying jobs.
Sophia Booker as well as her twin sis Bridgette entered foster aid at the historic menstruum of vii afterward beingness removed from an abusive home. After living inwards multiple foster homes, the twins were adopted at the historic menstruum of fourteen yesteryear their as well as then foster mother. Sophia, currently a Great Expectations pupil at Reynolds, credits her GE coach Dedra Hampton alongside keeping her on runway inwards pursuit of her education. She plans to transfer to Virginia Commonwealth University side yesteryear side autumn as well as pursue a marking inwards social work, as well as although she volition move leaving Reynolds as well as moving on to VCU, she knows that her Great Expectations coach volition maintain to play a big purpose inwards her life.
Booker’s long-term finish for her career is to give dorsum as well as assist other foster aid youth – specially the older foster youth who need assist alongside teaching as well as independent living skills. In fact, she is already giving dorsum - yesteryear working at Project LIFE every bit its Youth Network Coordinator. Project LIFE (Living Independently, Focusing on Empowerment) is a partnership alongside the Virginia Department of Social Services as well as United Methodist Family Services whose mission is to heighten the successful transition of older foster youth to adulthood.
Let’s promise that yesteryear side yesteryear side yr when nosotros approach the vacation flavor most of the 800 children waiting for a permanent dwelling inwards Virginia volition genuinely move “home” for the holidays.
For to a greater extent than data on the Great Expectations Program at Reynolds Community College please
For to a greater extent than data on National Adoption Month delight watch http://www.vaservice.org/go/news/november_is_national_adoption_month/.
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