LINK LINES November 12, 2002

 

Dare to Care on the Move! 2002 has been an exciting time of growth and change for the Broome County Dare to Care Foster Parent Association. Under the leadership of LINK parents Ann Marie Purdy and Rose Karluk the association is expanding it's membership and creating a new working relationship with their agency. Group leaders began regularly scheduled meetings with DSS staff shortly after the May 2002 LINK gathering to discuss common concerns and plans for the future. Joint projects to date include redecorating visitation rooms, securing new vendors for clothing vouchers, and the development of parent-edited newsletter distributed by DSS. Future plans include joint training, a formal foster parent liaison program and possible implementation of DSS facilitated foster parent / birth parent team meetings within the first week of a child's placement in care. Fundraising efforts underway include candy sales and a percentage of sales arrangement with a local grocery store. A portion of the money raised is planned for joint training programs with DSS. As group members particularly interested in additional legal training, leaders have discussed the possibility of bringing Atty. Margaret Burt to Broome. Dare to Care has developed an innovative cooperative purchase program for foster parents with their local food bank. To learn more about how to set one up in your county contact LINK parents Anne Marie or Rose. Broome is also the first county to complete and send in their LINK survey! Congratulations to all for their creativity and energy!	Getting to Know You In Madison County, Link Parents Helen Moyer and Tammy Pickard are focusing on new ways to communicate with each other and their agency. Ideas discussed include coffee klatches, an electronic newsletter, project task forces and training events. Eleven families turned out for a recent organizational meeting during which many volunteered to assist with network projects.  Responding to group member desires to engage in ongoing communication with DSS, group leadership set up a meeting with the DSS commissioner to introduce the rejuvenated association. Their plans were warmly welcomed by Commissioner Carey and Deputy Commissioner Garneau who expressed their desire to work "hand in Hand" with the association and suggested meeting on a quarterly basis. Topics under discussion include increased inservice training for foster parents and plans for foster parent month in May. The Commissioner will be speaking at the next meeting of the association.
	St. Lawrence Creates LINK Website Getting busy foster parents together is never easy, especially when you live in area as rural as our northern most LINK county, St. Lawrence. One solution, a website to connect families electronically. Thanks to group members Dave and Terry Doe the St. Lawrence County Foster and Adoptive Parent Association debuted it's new site on July 31st. That's pretty impressive for a parent group that only began meeting in June. Check out their new site at http://web.northnet.org/slcfosterparents/.
Happy Birthday, Jefferson The Jefferson County Foster and Adoptive Parent Association is one year old as of October 24th. The group is now meeting regularly at DSS (baby sitting provided) and publishing a monthly newsletter. Their most important achievement to date - successful advocacy for a small but much needed increase in the per diem foster home boarding rate. President Della Fischer expects another small increase after the first of the year. During the coming year the group hopes to establish regular meetings with DSS staff and increase training opportunities for foster parents. Like many other LINK counties members are particularly interested in legal training and a closer relationship with their family court. Other objectives under discussion include a group web site and a chat room for local foster care teens. Congratulations Jefferson on a job well done, and best wishes for the coming year!	Oswego Welcomes New Parents  Under the leadership of President Diann Weber, the revitalized Foster and Adoptive Parent Association of Oswego County has been working hard on recruiting and supporting new foster parents. In addition to informational meetings , a mentor program, and group leader participation in new parent training the association has developed a "Friendship Kit" for newly certified foster parents. The kit contains information about group services, NYSCCC "What Every Foster Parent Needs to Know" flyer, and a number of "helpful " presents such as: A band aid to "heal hurt feelings" A rubber band reminder "to stay flexible" A paper clip to help hold it all together See Oswego County Friendship Kit for a complete list of items

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