The link below is to a NCTSN artical on Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping FAmily Cope wihtthe Coronavirus Disease 2019
https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/fact-sheet/outbreak_factsheet_1.pdf

The Link below has some information on Talking with you Kids about the Coronavirus.

https://childmind.org/article/talking-to-kids-about-the-coronavirus/

Shines with all the Extras

Our Children….

Fiesta Texas – Many of our children have never been out of their county, spent the night in a hotel with a swimming pool or gone to a theme park.  AWFC takes  all our families and children to FIESTA TEXAS on the 4th Saturday of June. We provide help with gas, hotels and  a fabulous picnic on the grounds of Fiesta Texas.  Each year we purchase 1300 to 1800 tickets to the park,  AWFC t-shirts for everyone, parking passes, lunch and game souvenirs.  The smiles and giggles from the kids makes one’s heart grow huge and eyes tear up.  One little boy  came up to staff and said, “this is the best  day of my  whole life!” This event costs AWFC approximately $80,000 and is worth every penny.  Seeing the sea of  blue t-shirts reminds each child they are not the only one in care and what a great subject to write about on their first day back to school!

Launch Camp – Instilling the importance of education and preparation for independent living are crucial for teens to overcome failure and reach out for success in their future.  With this in mind, AWFC has created a Launch Program with the highlight being the 4 day Launch Camp. Taking all our 14-18+ teens to camp each year has really made an impact; for the past 4 years 100% of our seniors have graduated from high school. This is a big deal as the national average of foster teens graduating is only 40%. With a variety of topics and activities, Launch Camp creates a environment of respect, positivity, self esteem and acceptance.  This venture costs from $80,000 to $100,000.

Education: A Necessity –  Each fall our children are sent back to school with a big send off…. A party begins the hoopla with a celebration encouraging success. Additionally, each school aged child receives $100 to purchase a special first day of school outfit; we believe self esteem is important! Each child also receives a new backpack filled with brand new school supplies from donations by the agency. Beginning school on equal ground as the other children makes a big difference. Unfortunately there is a  price tag of approximately $80,000  attached…. Again worth every penny!

Jump Start – Many of our children come to us in the middle of the night and are often wrapped in a blanket with nothing… NOTHING! Because they often come with siblings, their immediate needs can be overwhelming to a family.  AWFC gives each family $150 per child to buy the immediate necessities—pjs, underwear, school clothes,  shoes,  car seats, diapers, etc. just to get them started. Placing approximately 1500 children a year at $150 per child, AWFC’s  outlay is $225,000. A hefty sum but an important one to help our families get a good “jump start” on providing the best care to our children.

As a non-profit agency, A World For Children (AWFC) is licensed by the State of Texas to provide foster and foster-to-adopt services for abused and neglected children across the state.

The statistics on foster care youth are staggering::

* Within 18 months of emancipation 40-50% of foster youth become homeless
* 25% of foster youth will be incarcerated within the first 2 years of emancipation
* Within 2 years of emancipation 51% will be unemployed
* 46% of foster children complete high school
* Children who experience child abuse and neglect are 59% more likely to be arrested as a juvenile, 28% more likely to be arrested as an adult and 30% more likely to commit violent crimes

The statistics paint a heartbreaking picture. At 18, foster youth age out of the system and face a world with limited life skills. Homelessness, crime and poverty are only a few of the devastating outcomes. It is not only a tragedy for the youth but a tragedy for our society.

We created a program to deal with this serious problem.

Launch Camp is a program we designed to inspire, motivate, and prepare our teens for entrance into the adult world. This dynamic camp aims to promote relationship building through mentoring and team building activities, prepare teens through educational workshops and provide activities to build their self-esteem.

Your donation will go directly to help fund the cost of camp. This cost includes: use of campground facility, food, entertainment, guest speakers, prizes, travel, maintaining 24 hour 1:4 staff ratio, etc.

Any amount helps! Together we can change the world… one child at a time!

To donate: Go Fund Me Page

A World For Children is on Facebook,  take a look at our location pages and see what is going on, and how you can help foster children in Texas. Most of our offices have pages and can be found on this website under each of the location links or you can select them below.

Facebook Page Links:

A World For Children

Amarillo

Brownwood

Corpus Christi

Dallas

El Paso

Houston

McAllen

Round Rock

San Antonio

Tyler

Wichita Falls

Easy and usually always a hit.

Jiffy Corn Casserole – usually make a double order

Round Rock office is started its decorations for Christmas.  Soon we will be hosting Christmas parties across the state.