{ CHILDREN AWAITING PARENTS }
A PLACE AT THE TABLE BY PATRICIA BURKS
“What’s the big deal? Just have a seat…anywhere is ok”. Those
are just ordinary words that can be said every day. Usually taken very lightly with no real meaning that is, until you realize you don’t have a place at the table. You are not sitting with your family but among people that once were strangers. The reality sinks in that you are in a different place. This place is different from what you have experienced in the past. They like you and want to help you heal, to succeed in life, to grow and become a part of their family. As you sit at the table you are able to claim a space and it feels good. Mary – adopted at 15 yrs. old Many of the children in the foster care system want the opportunity to feel safe, loved, consistency and security. Adults made mistakes in their lives and the children are now paying for that mistake. We, as a community have the opportunity to change the path that these children were given by becoming an advocate, mentor, foster parent or through adopting a child. Children Awaiting Parents (CAP) was founded in 1972 as a grassroots, non-profit organization to advocate for children in the foster care system and for the families that have adopted them. After 47 years we have moved 266
ROCHESTER WOMAN ONLINE :: APRIL 2018
to the next step to become the Donald Corbett Adoption Agency (DCAA). Our focus will continue to be children in the foster care system and their communities. We have provided services and developed community partnerships that continue to grow and supply the support needed by foster and adoptive families. No one is ever guaranteed to be a perfect parent or have the perfect child but CAP has been there to assist in uniting over 7,500 children and families towards the goal of adoption. When we are asked what a family looks like, we pull out our gallery of photos from over the years of the families created through adoption. Some of the families are shared on these pages. As we continue to grow and set new goals we watch the necessity of the work to continue. Our goal is to continue building the awareness of the need for providing safety to children. CAP/DCAA offers training classes and workshops along with our community partners to assist with supportive services for foster and adoptive families. We are all advocates for children and families. Foster families work hard to replace and achieve success for the children in their care. As parents we all should but sometimes things go astray. Reunification of the family and connections with kinship
relationships are always the desired outcome. When this is not a possibility other interventions are sought. Safety and consistency become the most important outcome for the child. Foster care is a temporary fix and sometimes that is all that is needed. In the event desired outcomes are not achieved adoption becomes the next step. Children are given the chance to restart, not forget their family but get the security that may have been missing. Foster and adoptive families don’t wear a special halo but they are special to filling the needs of the children in their care. Don’t hesitate to call to find out ways you can assist. We can build a special halo for you. We are available to do presentations to small or large community groups, companies or facilities. Please visit our website www.ChildrenAwaitingParents.org or call 585-232-5110 or just stop in 274 N. Goodman St, Suite D103 (M-F 9:30-4:30). Free informational meetings are held on 2nd Tuesdays but appointments can be scheduled to accommodate busy schedules.
No one is ever guaranteed to be a perfect parent or have the perfect child but CAP has been there to assist in uniting over 7,500 children and families towards the goal of adoption.