The Month of May is National Foster Care Month.
Wesley House Family Services offers recruitment, training and support for Monroe County foster parents. We practice the Quality Parenting Initiative model which has been championed by the state of Florida as a best practice model. This model serves as a statewide, standardized plan for bringing Foster Parents, caseworkers, and support staff to the table to work together to create a supportive system for foster children, foster parents and biological parents so that the child has the best possible experience, and feels comfortable throughout the fostering process.
We will be hosting two events to celebrate nationwide support and appreciation for our foster parents. On May 19th from 10a-12:30p there will be an early matinee showing of the Blind Side and a G-Rated movie for our foster families at The Tropic Cinema. On May 20th from 1p-4p there will be the Fish Bowl in Islamorada will host an event for our Upper Keys Families. Both events will be filled with fun activities, snacks for the families, and special surprises for our guests.
Wesley House Family Services is collecting items to place in “appreciation bags” for our families. Thank you so far to First State Bank, Keys Energy, HTA, Fury, Howard Livingston & the MM24 Band for providing gifts for these bags.
To learn more about fostering a child, or for information on PRIDE training please call Suzanne Barlow at 305-809-5000 ext. 315. To donate gifts for our “appreciation bags”, please contact Zeena Ram at ext. 314.
“In the Florida Keys community, our caregivers are loving, committed people who parent children while they cannot remain with their families. Caregivers advocate for the children’s needs and nurture their development. They are trained, supported, respected members of a professional team that strengthens and mentors the child’s family and fosters permanent connections."