Fostering Connections Blog is Back!

It is good to be back with you again.  Wonderful things have been happening with OCJ Kids over this past year. We have formed new partnerships with more businesses and churches.  With these new connections we have been able to do that much more for the the foster children who live in mini orphanges we are connected with.  So far this year we have impacted over 1300 foster children!!!  And the year is not over yet! 
Our most recent event was our 6th Annual Tools 4 Success Back to School Party.  It was an amazing day with over 300 kids in attendance.  During the event the kids created amazing Dream Boards and were inspired by two wonderful guest speakers Amen Iseghohi and Alejandra Paredes.  After the event was over the kids received a new backpack and school supplies to help get their school year off on the right track.  I was overwhelmed by the new volunteers we had this year.  We had over 90 volunteers for the entire day!!
Each one impacting the lives of the over 300 kids present at the event and most likely were impacted by the kids themselves.

Also this summer, we started a great partnership with Western Destinations to provide a Cowboy Camp for 250 foster kids!  Everyone who had the opportunity to attend the overnight camp, still talk about their experience to this day.  Between the ranglers and the horses, these kids had an opportunity they will never forget.  We can't wait for next summer so we can do it again!

With our volunteer base growing we are able to reach more of these young people in the mini orphanages where they live.   To help them prepare for the little and big things that life throws in their way.  More and more homes are being connected with volunteers and mentors, but there is still more homes that need to be connected.  I had the opportunity to visit a home the other day to drop off a book I had for a 2 year old little boy.  As I was leaving, one of his house mates asked if I could have lunch with him on the following Monday at school, because it was his birthday.   I am not sure what his story is, but this young man age 9 or 10 asking a complete stranger to join him for lunch for his birthday, broke my heart.  I had to tell him that would not be possible at this time.  The small needs of these kids are great and most can be met with a training and an hour or two a month. 
Will you join us?  Check out our website http://www.ocjkids.org/ or contact me at shevaun@ocjkids.org to see how you can get conencted.

I have a question for you who are reading this, what do you want to read when you visit this blog?  Let me know.  Thanks for reading!