Blog

Welcome to our Blog! We post weekly articles written on a variety of topics from a variety of people, including our staff, volunteers, community members, and our parents and youth. The Voices of our Blog are opinion pieces, reflecting the diverse experiences and viewpoints of our community. These articles are not meant to represent the views of everyone at FCNI, our Board of Directors and staff, or present a definitive policy statement, but are designed to be informative and thought-provoking.

Give Joy!

by
Eryka Santoyo, FCNI Manager
December, 9, 2020 -
Voice of an FCNI Staff

This year, Family Care Network launched our Give Joy fundraising campaign to raise funds to provide the children, youth and families in our care with everything they need to have a positive holiday experience. As our team was planning this campaign, setting goals, and reaching out to our community for support, I couldn’t help but reflect on the true meaning and impact of joy itself. After a very hard year, especially for the children and families we serve, there is such a need for joy and light-heartedness.

Tags: 
give joy, holiday, Holidays, Christmas, goals, impact, cover-19, corona virus, coronavirus, community, joy, relief, Family, Youth, Children, passion, Trauma, empowered, empowering families, give back

Joe and Me

by
By Anonymous FCNI Staff
November, 24, 2020 -
Voice of an FCNI Staff

When I picked up Joe* for the first time from school, I saw a tall kid with dyed hair towering over a group of teenagers. The group all wore black and had an assortment of different hair colors and cuts. Joe and I made eye contact. I saw him begin to slowly walk over to me. I next noticed he had wireless earbuds on under his shaggy hair as it flopped around. I quickly greeted him and showed him to my car. I noticed his breathing beginning to get shallow once he stepped into my car. He quickly pulled out his Nintendo switch and turned it on.

Tags: 
Rehabilitation Specialist, adoption, foster youth, foster kid, foster care, foster adopt, adoption story, social skills, stability, consistency, foster home

Teens Need Rudders

by
Bekah Alexander, FCNI Program Supervisor Adoptions/Foster Care
November, 18, 2020 -
Voice of an FCNI Staff

Imagine being rudderless on a rough sea. Imagine rock climbing with no safety harness. Imagine boxing with no gloves. Imagine scuba diving with an empty tank. Imagine a house without a foundation. Now, imagine being a teenager...with no family. 

Tags: 
foster care, foster parent, adoption, adopted, foster youth, heal, grow, self worth, fear, Mental health, committed parent, resource parent, permanency, guardianship, long term foster care, parenting, therapy

My Weird Foster Parents

by
Jazzlynne Allensworth, FCNI TAY-FAP Administrator
November, 12, 2020 -
Voice of an FCNI Staff

The first morning I stayed with the people who became my Legal Guardians, I rolled out of bed to find the father figure in the kitchen gracefully sprinkling garlic salt on a mound of potatoes and eggs, serendating them with his own rendition of “I Feel Pretty.” He looked like a cross between a retired football player and Hagrid from Harry Potter, but sang like a gigantic angel. ([To this day,] I’ve secretly thought of him as my Fairy Godfather). He has always called me, “Pumpkin” and used phrases like, “diglty dangit” when frustrated.

Tags: 
foster care, foster youth, foster kid, adoption, National Adoption Month, Adoption Month, stability, support, foster home, Youth

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