Foster Village Charlotte Impact Report

CHILDREN DESERVE COMMUNITY

Beyond the System

A LETTER FROM

Based on our personal stories as foster families and the many experiences that changed us along the way, we could envision the bridge between the needs and those with a desire to help. But it would take all of us to bring it to reality. There were clear dots to connect to make a broken system less traumatic for everyone involved. And the determining factor in making that vision a reality was up to the broader community and the countless ways each of us play a part in raising our next generation.

Nearly five years later, we continue to be in awe of what this community has created. It has surpassed our expectations and gives us so much hope for what we can accomplish when we band together for our most vulnerable neighbors. Every person plays a critical role in how this “village” functions, and no role is too big or too small. At the end of every day, we see the needle move a little closer toward a more healing and dignified experience for children and families in crisis. Small victories are the stepping stones forward, and this community now has a proven track record of the restoration that is possible when we band together.

This year, thanks to your generous support, we have met the needs of nearly 800 local children and continue to build the most incredible team of child welfare warriors to make this mission even more sustainable, impactful, and scalable.

As we face the reality that our state is wading through desperately needed reform, we’ve never been more hopeful for the opportunities we are positioned for as a community. These are our kids, our families, and our future. Here’s to continuing to lock arms together to bridge every gap, to see families restored, and to ensure safe and stable permanency for every child.

BUILDING A COMMUNITY BEYOND A SYSTEM WITH HOPE AND GRATITUDE,

Sloan Crawford, Traci Prillaman, and Becky Santoro

WHY WE CARE %

50

of licensed foster homes stop fostering after their first placement

80 %

of human trafficking victims have intersected with the foster care system

At least 400,000

11,000

Children in foster care in North Carolina (88% neglect, 12% abuse)

OVER children in the U.S. foster care system

of foster youth suffer from mental health issues such as PTSD and depression

80 % 40% of our homeless population are former or current foster youth

30 %

children in foster care in Mecklenburg Country

of children in foster care in Mecklenburg County are separated from at least one sibling

THE GAP

The love of a foster family changes a life forever...but foster families need help too. When you experience unconditional love, it changes everything. And that’s what foster families give to vulnerable children. But just like a child needs a village to help them discover the world and live into their potential, the families who live and love on the front lines need a support system too.

Foster families without the right support system often feel chronically overwhelmed and defeated. This creates more instability for the children in their care and the many others who need safe homes and loving parents to stand in the gap for them in their time of need. And everyone loses when that happens. Everyone.

There is a gap between those who care about vulnerable children and the foster families who need their support. While 85% of people say they care about vulnerable children and want to help, most will never become foster parents. The truth is that not everyone is called to take that step. But we can all play a part in creating a support system for the families who directly care for our vulnerable children.

The foster care system is not set up to address the factors that cause burnout or provide holistic support and dignity to foster families, kinship caregivers, first families and children in foster care.

But we are.

We, the 85% of us who care about vulnerable children in our community and are looking for a way to help.

People just like you. You can be that village of support that children and families need...and deserve.

Foster Village Charlotte bridges the gap between foster families and people like you who want to help by meeting practical needs and providing holistic support beyond the system.

Your support makes sure children have their basic needs met, foster families are connected to resources and to each other, and pathways are strengthened to advocate for change in the system resulting in a better future for our community, our children and the caregivers who raise them. In fact, 90% of caregivers in 2022 cited increased emotional support, navigation of the system, peer-support, and a decrease in parental stress as a result of support services provided by Foster Village Charlotte.

When you partner with Foster Village, you directly:

YOU Advocate Connect Equip

foster families, kinship caregivers, and first families with necessities and resources, such as Welcome Packs, carseats and sensory tools so they can focus on helping the children in their care thrive.

more parents together through educational and emotional support, such as support groups, one-on-one calls, trainings, mentorship and family gatherings so that foster parents and kinship caregivers are strengthened and empowered to continue fostering.

for a sacred space for first family visitations, tangible support during reunification, and ongoing, committed relationships between parents and foster parents bringing dignity to the children and families we serve.

IMPACT

We believe that strengthening the families and systems that surround a child experiencing foster care leads to a resilient next generation that breaks the cycle of childhood adversity.

Your generosity will change the future of an entire vulnerable population of children. Children in foster care are bright, capable, and strong. And when they are surrounded by the love and care they need to feel safe and secure as well as given the tools to be successful, they can:

Break the cycle of trauma that leads to homelessness, incarceration, and addiction

Heal from abuse and/or neglect, become resilient, and thrive in life

Overcome adversity

But their caregivers can’t do it alone. They need to be assured that someone is advocating on their behalf and working with them to create a personal support system that will sustain them through the ups and downs of foster care. We need to care for the caregivers so they can keep going.

“We could never do this without our community of support which includes organizations like Foster Village Charlotte. In a weird foster world where it’s easy to feel alone, organizations like this bring awareness and destigmatize it to help others outside of it understand, and those inside of it feel known.”

“There are so many unknowns when we get a call for a placement. The support of Foster Village Charlotte is ONE thing that we have been able to lean into and depend on every time we get that call. They not only provide tangible means, but the strength in community and support is invaluable. We are so grateful to be part of this amazing village!”

“I reached out to Foster Village Charlotte to get some guidance with a unique situation. A few weeks later they reached out just to check in. I felt so seen and cared for. Having personal connections when you sometimes feel like just "another case" being pushed through the system, made such an impact on me.”

“Our foster child lost everything when his parents terminated their rights. His home, his school, his family, his friends. He was put into a new school 3 weeks later and it was such a struggle. Foster Village Charlotte walked us through how to advocate for him and get a 504 plan in place to give him space to grieve and feel safe. But he needed far more, and so we found a tutor through Foster Village Charlotte. And then when WE needed support, we found a support group through Foster Village Charlotte. There's no doubt in my mind that we would have been lost without this community.”

“I currently did not have a placement and was feeling like I could not handle another one after my other kiddos went home. However, they were there to hear and validate my concerns but gave me hope that I could do it again and the community was there every step of the way. I do not think I could do this without the support of Foster Village Charlotte.”

“Having that space and seeing the difficulties others around me were sharing, helped me feel like I had a community and helped me process the trauma so that I could cope. I'm not sure we would have made it without all of the different pieces of the puzzle Foster Village Charlotte put into place for us.”

“I was at the end of my rope, and went to the support group, even though I almost didn’t because I was so overwhelmed. The support and encouragement I received from the other parents and the therapist was exactly what I needed. They helped me to realize what I needed to do in a certain situation, and gave me the courage to move forward.”

WHAT FOSTER FAMILIES TELL US ABOUT THE SUPPORT THEY RECEIVE CONFIRMS THE NEED IS GREAT – BUT LOVE IS GREATER.

WHAT’S NEXT...

Foster Village Charlotte experienced a year of growth, and it’s due to our donors’ generous gifts and support. As we stand on the horizon of what‘s next, we’ve been working on serving more families through expanding to two properties while strengthening and forming partnerships with organizations aligned with our mission and vision.

We know that what these kids really need is families, and those families are going to need intensive support that is easily accessible. If we are not sustaining and retaining quality homes (including foster, kinship, adoptive, and first families), then we are simply continuing a dysfunctional cycle. We are not an organization driven by short-term, quick fixes; we are driven by the hope of seeing families overcome generational cycles of adversity for generations to come. And that takes time and thinking outside of the box.

We are working toward making this addition a healing haven that supports sustainable solutions. While the new house will be the resource center where we equip children and families with critical necessities and therapeutic support, our original center is being transformed into an inviting space for children to visit while their caregivers are being served but also a family visitation center for first families on their journey to permanency. This space will also include a sensory play studio and a private therapeutic space for one-on-one support.

It will be a place where...

The caregivers who open their homes to these kids can easily access support

Specialists in the community can volunteer their time to share their skills free of charge

Our team can help facilitate family visitations in a trauma-informed environment that allows practice of basic life skills and healing parenting strategies

We can invite partner organizations to serve this vulnerable population alongside us in a therapeutic capacity that is not currently available

Building and sustaining families who have the capacity to care for children from hard places is the best way out of this crisis. And these families will need Foster Village Charlotte to increase their team to better support these outcomes which requires the community’s support.

Your generous and compassionate gifts equip Foster Village to accomplish our mission as we...

...help break cycles of adversity, transform generations, advocate for system reform, and forever change communities...

...bridge the gap and become the village that meets practical needs and provides holistic support for those experiencing foster care...

...create a ripple effect of change for children who deserve a village beyond the system.

“We’ve been proud members of The Village Partner Community, monthly donors, since they began this journey because we know how crucial being able to say “yes” is to the children and families in our city and how the work of Foster Village Charlotte is instrumental in strengthening their ability to be on the frontlines of foster care.”

- Monica G.

THOUGH WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH, OUR WORK IS NOT YET DONE...