NJ Foster Care Workers Honored

Gov. McGreevey and Department of Human Services Commissioner Gwendolyn L. Harris honored community volunteers and organizations for supporting New Jersey’s children in foster care and urged more people to become foster parents during a ceremony celebrating Foster Children’s Day on Thursday, December 12.

“New Jersey is blessed to have individuals and organizations, such as those we are honoring today, who have worked tirelessly to improve the lives of children in foster care,” said McGreevey. “Today, we are asking others to follow in their footsteps by joining their efforts and even by opening up their hearts and their homes to foster children.”

Foster Children’s Day was established in 2000 to increase awareness of the needs of New Jersey’s 7,000 foster children. Children may be placed in foster care when they cannot safely remain in their own home because of abuse or neglect. Currently, 65 percent of foster children are siblings and 50 percent are under the age of five.

“Giving love and assistance to a child in need truly exemplifies the spirit of this season,” said Commissioner Harris. “I would like to invite more individuals and organizations to follow the lead of those we honor here today by participating in efforts to enrich the lives of children in foster care or to consider becoming a foster parent.”

Those individuals and organizations honored for their work on behalf of New Jersey’s foster children were:

* Candace Kelly Matlock, Linda Coles and Donna Richards of New Jersey Network’s Another View program for profiling the need for foster families in New Jersey.

* Jason Druss and Karen Goldberg, children who organized backpack donations for children in foster care throughout Burlington and Camden counties.

* Philadelphia Eagles star Duce Staley and the Duce Staley Foundation for hosting a holiday party for New Jersey foster children.

* Philadelphia Eagles Football Organization for hosting 250 foster children at the “NFL Day at the Movies.” Accepting the award on the organization’s behalf was retired wide receiver Harold Carmichael.

* Alex Humanick of Camp Merry Heart and Kathy Pross of the Morris/Sussex Youth Advocate Program for organizing a summer camp program for siblings separated in foster care.

* Barbara Webb, Director of Volunteer Services, University Hospital in Newark, for organizing the hospital’s boarder baby program for infants born at the hospital and awaiting foster care placement.

* Pat Ahern R.N., Hackensack University Medical Center for recruiting and training foster parents through the hospital.

* The wife and adult children of the late DYFS caseworker, Vincent McKernan, who made memorial donations to benefit children supervised in Camden.

To become a foster parent, individuals are required to complete 24 hours of training along with appropriate background and reference checks. DYFS provides a variety of supports to foster parents including a monthly support payment, clothing allowance, medical insurance for the foster child and child care assistance if needed.

To learn more about foster parenting, visit the DYFS foster care web site at www.njfostercare.org , or call toll-free 1-877-NJ-FOSTER.

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Author: Press Release-Kevin Davitt