As 2016 begins, many people are making resolutions to learn a new language or to lose that freshman 15 they gained 10 years ago. This year Morrow County Job and Family Services is resolving to find more foster and adoptive families for the children in our county and to let the community know about ways to get involved. As a community let’s resolve to help our neighbors.

Become a Foster/Adoptive Parent: For an infant • grade-school child • teenager • child or teenager with developmental disabilities or behavioral problems • infant with special needs

Provide Services for Foster Families: Free haircuts • Free dental care, speech therapy, and counseling • Short-term (respite) child care for a few days • Drive children to meetings, doctors, and therapists • Offer a discount at your place of business • Perform work to make a house wheelchair accessible • Free space in a child care program

Teach and Help Children and Youth: Teach life skills such as budgeting or job seeking • Tutor • Start or volunteer in an after-school program • Sponsor a child for a team, club, or organization • Mentor a child • Take a child in foster care on a service project in the community • Offer a scholarship for a space in your gymnastics, music, or art class • Offer an apprenticeship in your company • Offer a job in your company

Help an Agency: Help recruit foster families • Host a social event for foster families • Offer bulletin board space for public awareness messages • Become a court-appointed advocate • Invite the agency to speak or be a part of an event you are hosting • Volunteer your time

Help Birth Families: Teach life skills like sewing, cooking, housekeeping, computer proficiency, or automobile repair • Provide a job • Mentor a teenaged birth parent • Offer reduced rent • Provide babysitting or respite care after reunification

Contribute Money: Provide money for camp or field trips • Help with holiday gifts • Help with post-high school education • Contribute to or start a scholarship fund

Donate Goods: Car seats • Toys • Sleeping bags and pillows • Toiletry kits • Luggage • School supplies • Infant supplies such as diapers or formula • Clothing • Musical instruments • Books • Swing set • Computer

For more information on how you can get involved call Amanda Kotomin at 419-949-2614 or email [email protected]

Amanda Kotomin is Placement Coordinator for Morrow County Job & Family Services.

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By Amanda Kotomin, Job and Family Services