By CHERIL VERNON
The Palestine Herald
PALESTINE
April 25, 2008 03:45 am
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In honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Anderson County Foster Parents Association will hold a handful of fund-raisers to raise awareness and needed funds for the non-profit organization.
On Sunday morning, the ACFPA will have a table set up outside of Evangelistic Temple’s sanctuary with brochures and other information on foster care and adoption through the Department of Family & Protective Services.
“We will also have a table set up requesting donations for our association from church members at that time,” said ACFPA member Christine McLeod, who, along with her husband Brett serve as foster parents. “Those coming in to services will receive a narrative regarding the Association, including statistics regarding children in care and their needs.
“We also will have Anderson County Foster Parents Association members available to answer questions and provide information about our non-profit organization.”
Donations to the association will help provide children in care and their foster parents with aid for children’s gifts, clothing, fun days, Christmas gifts and etc.
As a non-profit organization, the ACFPA budget depends on donations and fund-raisers only. Donations are welcome at all Regions Banks in the area or by mail to: Anderson County Foster Parents Association, P.O. Box 2122 Palestine, TX 75802.
“Anderson County currently has 78 foster children, but the number changes almost daily,” McLeod said. “In part due to the shortage of foster homes, Anderson County foster parents also have children from surrounding areas such as Smith, Cherokee, Henderson and Gregg counties not counted in that number.”
According to McLeod, the State of Texas does reimburse foster parents for food and some clothing but does not reimburse the cost of the everyday things, and does not reimburse the costs of the required training, inspections, and other expenses that normal families would not incur.
“It takes a great deal to raise a child in today’s society,” McLeod said. “The children we care for come from homes where there may have been physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse.
“These children have been removed from an environment and moved into a place with people they do not know, sometimes during the middle of the night,” she continued. “They are frightened and often in need of proper hygiene and medical care.
“As foster parents, we give these children a chance,” she said. “We give them a safe place to live, food and clothing to wear.
“Most of all, we give them love.”
In addition to Sunday’s activities, the ACFPA will hold a fund-raiser Wednesday in coordination with Applebee’s in Palestine. All day Wednesday from open to close, Applebee’s will donate 10 percent of the day’s profit to the organization. This offer includes dine in and carry-out orders.
It works like this: Whenever anyone places an order, all they have to do is give their server a flyer with the ACFPA information on it.
“Please come out, enjoy a wonderful meal at an affordable price, and support foster parents and children,” McLeod said. “Thanks to Applebee’s and General Manager Natalie for assisting us with this fund-raiser.”
The Anderson County Foster Parents Association meets the second Thursday of every month and is open to all foster parents with public or private agencies. Childcare is provided and state required training hours are earned at each meeting. For more information, call president Virginia Link at 903-928-2558.
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