You create families for teens!

,

In May, I attended my first conference in over two years, the National Adoption Association's bi-annual meeting. 

A highlight was our presentation with the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) on weekend hosting models as an innovative approach to helping children in foster care find adoptive families. We had great turnout and lots of questions and excitement as professionals from across the country delved into how they might adapt this model to their particular circumstances.

MARE is one of the organizations that asked DCFYI for advice and input as they designed their hosting program. They launched right before the pandemic and despite that are already showing fabulous results! (Very gratefully, we are now benefiting from their lessons learned.)

What did I not expect was learning that another (also much larger than DCFYI) organization that started an equally successful hosting program a few years before MARE had just ended it due to a combination of changing priorities and lack of funding. (And despite more counties in the state asking to be included as they saw the success of hosting). It breaks my heart to know children will lose this avenue to finding family and that (sufficient) funding did not follow documented success.

Ironically, it is probably our lack of start-up funding that means we won't face a similar situation. From those very early days of a teeny tiny budget, we have grown and expanded only because so many incredibly generous people like you believed in and supported both the DCFYI teens and DCFYI itself. Donating, volunteering, mentoring, hosting, adopting. None of it would have happened without you.

You are the reason so many teens in foster care have created lasting adult relationships with people they now consider family. And you are the reason we will continue to grow and help more teens find family.

We cannot thank you enough,
Susan

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Upcoming Events

Big Splash Summer Bash - Saturday, June 18 

Game Day - Saturday, July 16

We continue to hold all events outdoors for now as we watch covid numbers (and new variants) and vaccination rates. We will cancel an event should conditions warrant and look forward to when we can safely return to indoor events.

Events are on the DCFYI website calendar, where you can RSVP.

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Help Family & Youth Initiative grow!

Are you an events person?

Every October, Family & Youth Initiative holds our Establishing Roots fundraiser. It's a fun evening of food and drink, a silent auction, and the highlight of the evening - hearing from a DCFYI youth and volunteer!

We hope you will join us on Wednesday October 12^th in the North Hall of historic Eastern Market.

As we plan for this year's fundraiser we would love your help. If events are your thing, consider joining the Establishing Roots committee. Reach out and we'll connect you!

Thank you.