Washington celebrates Foster Care Month with the Mariners

OLYMPIA -- Foster parents are heroes to children needing a caring adult who can provide a safe and secure home. Gov. Chris Gregoire honors foster caregivers, proclaiming May as Foster Care Month in Washington State.

"Foster and kinship caregivers dedicate themselves to providing loving, nurturing care for thousands of children entrusted to them," proclaimed Gov. Gregoire. These caregivers open their homes and hearts to children in crises, playing a vital role to help children and families heal and reconnect and helping launch children into successful adulthood.

Events in cities and towns across the state will celebrate foster parents, foster children and relative caregivers this month, kicking off with the "We Are Family Night" with The Mariners on May 1 at Safeco Field. Tickets are discounted for foster care, relative caregivers and adoptive families, social workers and the community members that support them. The honor of throwing the first pitch will go to a youth who is in foster care, kinship care, (placement with relatives) or is adopted.

Spokane foster parents and youth are celebrated May 2 at the 14th Annual Carousel Party at Riverfront Park. The event, sponsored by Mike and Ellena Conway, features a breakfast buffet for the families with kid-friendly foods, toys, prizes and free rides on the landmark 100-year-old restored carousel.

The Annual Foster Care Month Celebration will be held in the state Capitol on May 13. Guests of honor at the event will be some of those home-based heroes who represent foster parents and relative care givers across our state who have volunteered a combined 58,000 years of service.

The YMCA is donating swim passes to all their facilities that have swimming pools to foster parents, relative caregivers through the Children's Administration and youth in their care during May.

Foster Care Month also serves to call attention for the need for more of these very special people in our community who can step up to change a lifetime for a young person. To apply to be a foster-parent, respite care foster parent or for more information about becoming a foster parent call; 1-888-KIDS-414 (1-888-543-7414) or click DSHS, Foster Parenting, You can too.

Interviews are available with foster mother Cindy Locke and her 16 year-old foster son Mykal, who is currently waiting for a heart-transplant. Cindy and her husband have fostered 25 children over two decades, many like Mykal who are medically fragile or with other special needs. The uplifting and at times heart-breaking story of the Locke’s and the children they loved, cared for and brought into their homes is attached. Contact Deborah Schow, at DSHS Communications to arrange an interview.

Links:

Foster Care Month National Site: http://www.fostercaremonth.org/Pages/default.aspx

Seattle Mariners – We Are Family Night: http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/sea/ticketing/special_group.jsp?group=wearefamily

DSHS – Become a Kinship Care Provider: http://www.dshs.wa.gov/ca/fosterparents/be_KinshipIntro.asp

Riverfront Park in Spokane: http://www.spokaneriverfrontpark.com/content.php?id=72

DSHS – Foster Parenting, You can too…: http://www.dshs.wa.gov/ca/fosterparents/be_FosterIntro.asp

DSHS Children's Administration videos about foster care and adoption on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYvw1s_iueg

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