Fargo/Moorhead Youth Fill the Dome Project Exceeds Goal!

My blog normally includes articles written by me or others I find on the Internet about foster care, thus the title of my blog.
However I am so proud of the youth here in my hometown community of Fargo, North Dakota/Moorhead, Minnasota that I just have to share this story beyond our area.
In the fall of [...]

Thanksgiving for Former Foster Youth

I wish possibilities like this event had been possible back when I aged out of the system back in 1968, after having spent the first 18 years of life in foster care. I went through the holidays from 1968 until 2002 without ever having a family to celebrate the holidays with. I finally was able [...]

Resource Center Established to Help States Implement Foster Care Legislation

A coalition of child welfare, adoption, healthcare, and education leaders has announced the launch of a national effort to fully implement the Fostering Connections Act, year-old legislation designed to address the healthcare needs of foster youth.
On the first anniversary of passage of the act, the coalition announced the creation of the Fostering Connections Resource Center, [...]

Some States do LITTLE for Older Youth in Foster Care to be Adopted

Thed US Department of Health & Human Service Adminsitration for Children & Family Services have released the data for states who made efforts to increase adoptions of “older youth” in the foster care system across the United States. It appears some states have made strong efforts to accomplish this as indicated by the incentive dollars [...]

Boys Town Alumni Choir on Utube

This is the final of 3 blog entries in regards to the recent Boys Town Alumni Reunion Weekend (July 24-26, 2009).
After much effort to find a way to post this finally have gotten it up on Utube.
Many thanks goes to Jerry Webb (BT Class of 64) for recording this.
This is just a portion of the [...]

One Can Return Home Again!!!

It has been said by many, including myself from time to time, that one cannot go home again. Well this past weekend I in fact did go home again. It is not your typical home but it was home for me for seven plus years of my youth.
I had spent the first eleven years of [...]

A Return to Boys Town!!

Early Thursday morning I will depart for Boys Town to attend my 40th class reunion. It is a trip I have looked forward to for the past year; though at times it appeared doubtful I would be able to make the trip. This is only the 3rd reunion I will be attending in 40 years [...]

Florida child-welfare employees put kids at risk!

Below is a recent article in the Orlando Sentinal. This situation is not unique to Florida. However, please note there are many, many dedicated case workers in the field who give their all to children. Until those “bad apples” who put children at risk are dealt with by more than a hand slap stories such as [...]

Children of the System

New research supports a radical shift in child-welfare policy for the thousands of teens who ‘age out’ of foster care at age 18, only to face high rates of homelessness, unemployment and incarceration. The system is failing thousands of youth under their care each and every year, 29,000 youth faced aging out last year.
By Daniel [...]

Sabotoged By the System

Sabotaged By the System
By Jesse Ellison | NEWSWEEK
Published Feb 7, 2009
From the magazine issue dated Feb 16, 2009
 
When Tyrome Sams turned 18 two years ago, he engaged in a modern rite of passage: he applied for a credit card. Credit wasn’t hard to come by then, yet Sams was refused again and again. Eventually he [...]

7 Yr. Old Foster Youth Hangs Himself!

Personal Note: When I read this article for the first time I cried for Gabriel. At age 7 he decided life was no longer worth living. It brought back to me memories of my own years in foster care.
By the age of 10 I had been in foster care since the day of my birth. [...]

Care Packages Replace Traditional Luggage

The article below recently appeared in the newspaper for a project I began:
November 19th was a great day for former foster child turned author and activist Larry Adams of North Dakota.
It was also a tremendous day for local youth that unfortunately may need to enter foster care.
It was the culmination of the first drive to [...]

Teen Won’t Let Foster Care be His Legacy!!!

I read this article in the Detroit Free Press the other evening after getting my daily “foster care” alert. Reading Alex’s story made my chest swell up in pride for him and anyone who has been placed on the foster care merry-go-round and not allowed it to overwhelm them, make them want to make themselves a [...]

2008 A Bad Year for Foster Care…Prospects for 2009!!

 
 A few hours ago we turned the final page, read the last paragraphs and finally closed the book called 2008.
 
We know how dreadful a year it was in regards to our economy, many losing their jobs and homes, more people without health care, falling apart infrastructure and the list goes on and on. We know [...]

Family Giving Up Custody of Abused Boy!

I find this story absolutely sickening, deplorable and sadas this boy’s life may already be destroyed as well as the family that adopted him in hopes of giving him a better life.
To tell the adoptive parents that for him to get help he must be given up…and in the end the system will just let [...]

The Agony of Foster Care Does NOT End When You Leave It!

I am a firm believer that though one may leave the foster care system the foster care system never leaves you.
One may go on with their lives, and they need to, but the system and one’s expereiences will always remain a part of you…one must learn however to not allow it to control them.
The article [...]

Bitter Life Teaches Foster Youth to NOT Limit Herself!

I think it is important for foster youth or foster alumni to read and hear about others who have gome through the system who have made it, who have not proclaimed themselves as victims.
Therefore I was delighted when I read the article velow in the Idaho Statesmen and felt the need to share it here [...]

Story of a Surviving Orphan Train Rider

From the mid 1850’s to to 1930 over 200,000 youth were moved by train across the United States. Many were adopted while others ended up in orphanages or other type of foster care.
In some cases their families knew of the move and in other cases the youth were just removed from the streets and placed [...]

Law Lets Little Boy Down…Destroys Family!!!

How could the system allow such a travesty to happen…and they wonder why youth involved with the system may turn out, in their words, bad! Do they think of the potential damage they are causing to this boy? Cases such as this absolutely disgusts me and is but more proof the system needs dramatic overhaul!!!
Law [...]

Fed Judge Orders GA Find Perm Homes for Foster Youth

It is about time a Federal Judge has stepped in and done something…of course if ASFA1997 were enforced by states this action would not be necessary!!
Atlanta Journal Constitution
Judge orders state to find homes for 500 kids
By CRAIG SCHNEIDER
Monday, December 15, 2008
A federal judge on Monday ordered the state child welfare agency to improve its efforts [...]