Point Hope HooRah!

Teen boys in foster care may be the most forgotten and abandoned children in the system.  Just as the boys are maturing and approaching adulthood, a time they are truly in need of role models, strong relationships and opportunities to plan for the future, instead their lives fall apart--and at least, in the beginning, through no fault of their own. Later on, some of their circumstances may be affected as a result of choices they make, but simply being in foster care?  Not their choice.   

Point Hope has successfully held events for teen girls in foster care, but we want to host a similar even for teen boys.  So far, the first such event is still in the planning stages.  One of our local Points of Hope Chapters is working with local coaches, teachers, and other mentors to plan out and host this event (tentatively called the Point Hope Hoorah!). We will keep you advised here, so keep checking back--if you want to talk about hosting an event for teen boys in foster care, please contact Point Hope at oneperson@pointhope.org to let us know.

a little further information...

Children and youth enter foster care because they have been abused, neglected, or abandoned by their parents or guardians. All of these children have experienced loss and some form of trauma. In other ways, foster children are no different from children who aren’t in foster care: they are learning and growing, like to play and hang out with friends their age, and need the love and stability a permanent home provides.

A recent opinion piece in The New York Times is very honest about the crisis in our foster care system:

"In some places, kids in foster care are sleeping in social workers’ offices. Many children are shipped off to prisonlike institutions where they languish for months, even years, without loving families. And many more bounce among multiple foster homes, deepening their feelings of abandonment, disrupting their education and severing their relationships with relatives, teachers and friends just when they need them most.

The consequences for these kids, and our country, are alarming. Children who have been in foster care are five times more likely to abuse drugs. As many as 70 percent of youths in the juvenile justice system have spent time in the child welfare system. One-third of homeless young adults were previously in foster care."

It is time we do whatever we can...

Will you join Point Hope and be ONE PERSON who is willing to be a Voice for Forgotten Children?