According to Friends Investing In Foster Kids Board of Directors Chair Michelle Williams,
“Upon learning about the second specialty court in Texas, the Dallas County Child Protection and Permanency Court, I began volunteering to assist the Court and Judge Delia Gonzales. As the Dallas community became aware of the Court, businesses and individuals also began to volunteer and donate to assist the children in the Court. In 2021, we began the process to become a nonprofit.
“When children are placed into the care of Child Protective Services (CPS) and become part of the foster care system in Texas, most people do not think about how foster children survive on a day-to-day basis or who assists them with their financial needs. Some people think that CPS takes care of all of the children’s financial needs. CPS does take care of basic needs for foster youth, but these children should grow up with the normal activities that children participate in when they are not in the foster care system. Normal activities that we assist the children with include getting a Texas State ID or Driver’s License, going to their school prom, or graduating with their Senior Class. If high school children are unable to pay for the required cap and gown, they will not walk in their graduating class and celebrate their achievements. Fees for some of these activities were paid for by gracious donors during Communities Foundation of Texas’ North Texas Giving Day in 2022.
“In addition to foster care youth, Friends Investing In Foster Kids assists youth who have aged out of the Texas Foster Care System and not been adopted. Whether these children attend college or begin in the workforce, we continue to remain in contact with them, provide mentors for them, assist financially when needed, and continue to spend time with them so they know how important they are and how successful they can become in the future.
“Unless our community becomes involved in the foster youth of Dallas County, the path for children in the foster care system may be prison. The Dallas County Child Protection and Permanency Court has taken an interest in each of the children’s lives in an attempt to stop the school-to-prison pipeline for foster youth. Friends Investing In Foster Kids is very grateful of our past donors, but we need continued financial support from donors so these children have normalcy in their life which they may never have had in the past. The financial donations will also continue to support youth who have aged out of the foster care system. I always think that if my child has something, these children deserve to have it too.”
* Photo credit: Celia McCoy **Photo credit: Jeffrey White *** Graphic provided by Friends Investing In Foster Kids
In 14 years, Communities Foundation of Texas’ North Texas Giving Day has pumped more than $503 million into the North Texas community. In 2022, more than $62.6 million was raised through 94,385 donors benefiting over 3,210 area nonprofits.
On Thursday, September 21, support Friends Investing In Foster Kids by clicking here and spreading the word. #NTxGivingDay2023