Foster Friends
If you were to think back on your most memorable childhood moments, what would they be? Swimming with friends? Riding a bicycle? Scoring the winning goal in a soccer came? Now, put yourself in the shoes of an abused child and imagine what his or her most memorable moments would be. Frightening, isn't it?
For children that are abused and neglected, life can sometimes be mere survival. There is no "childhood". Children who are abused and neglected did not ask to be put in the situation they are in. They did not ask to be abused or neglected and have not asked to be removed from their homes. They are there through absolutely no fault of their own. So, why should this child suffer even more from that situation?
There are two prongs to our Foster Friends Program. The main focus of the Foster Friends is to help provide enrichment activities, develop social skills, boost self confidence, and boost self esteem for children and young adults in foster care. We help plant the seeds for success so that a child can flourish and excel. This is accomplished through a variety of fun and interactive activities. We also accomplish this by providing scholarships for children in foster care who need outside resources to participate in outside activities (such as playing a sport or joining martial arts).
The Blue Ribbon Project also believes that every child deserves to feel special on their birthday or during other memorable events. For many children in Foster Care, their birthday and other celebrations may seem like any other day with no cards, no party, no presents, or cake. The Blue Ribbon Project's Foster Friends Program works to recognize Foster Children and Youth during their special events. We work with foster parents and Department of Social Services to make these celebrations super special..
While there is some funding available through state resources, much of the burden falls on foster parents to absorb the cost of extracurricular activities. Foster Friends helps foster youth participate with scholarships in the following programs:
- Soccer
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Football
- Hockey
- Dance Lessons
- Music Lessons
- Karate
- Taekwondo
- Ballet
- Camps
- Singing Lessons
- Tutoring Programs
Foster Friends also includes a variety of group events such as Holiday Parties, Sporting Events, Movie Nights, Paint Nights, and other fun activities. We also provide scholarships and grants to help purchase certain items for youth in Foster Care.
Why should a child miss out on opportunities just because of a living situation they had no control over? How can we expect a child to survive later in life without giving them the opportunity to interact and succeed with their peers? Again, think back to your childhood and think of where you would be today had you not had certain opportunities.
