The Elephant in the Room

Gary, the president of OCJ Kids, comes into the office this morning from a breakfast about adoption.  At this breakfast  they are told that there are over 11,000 children in foster care her in Arizona, of this 11,000 children there are 350 children ready for adoption.   Did you catch that 350 of 11,000 are ready to be adopted. I think it is great to to get these kids a family to call their own, but what about the other 10,750 kids still in foster care. What happens to them?

Yes there are Foster Families who take some of these children in, but the number of foster families are dwindling here in Arizona.  So what happens to these 10, 750 kids that are not able to be adopted?
They get put into group homes (mini orphanages).  A house located in neighborhoods just like yours.  They are put with about 9 other kids around their age, with a house manager, an assistant manager and an overnight staff.   If they have siblings, depending on their age they may get to live with them, or they may be split up depending on space available.  So who helps with their home work?  Who asks them about their day?  Who helps them dream for the future?  Who helps them fight for their future?  What can be done with this Elephant in the Room?  This 10,750 kids without the opportunity of a loving family, at this time.

OCJ Kids has provided individuals the opportunity to be that person who can give hope to an orphan of the living.  It's as easy as a visit once a week to once a month.
Recently, one of the girls I have visited over the past 2 years, came to speak at one of our events.  To hear in her words the impact of a weekly visit had on her touch my heart.  To know that these young people have someone who is willing to come see them and cares about them means a lot to them.  They may not show it all the time but hope grows with the smallest of kindness and caring.

Just this past week, we went to a shelter and did makeovers and a photo shoot with the teen girls there.  One of the girls, we were told, has a tendency to growl and hiss at people and sometimes tries to bite them.  I know that can seem scary, but to me I think what must have happened to her that she acts this way.
the  exciting thing about this story is this young lady did not growl, did not hiss, did not bite, but allowed college students to do her hair and makeup then showed us her beautiful smile as we took her picture.

If you are not able  to foster or adopt a child so in need of a loving family, then you can be that person who visits them where they live, that person who gives them hope, that person who shows them they are special enough to be loved.

If you would like to get involved please contact us at OCJ Kids at info@ocjkids.org and we will get you connected to change a young persons life.

CPS Squeeze

I remember when the stats for the number of children in foster care were in the 9,000's for Arizona.  I thought that was bad, then Gary, OCJ Kids' President and Founder, comes into the office and informs us that there over 10,000 children in the foster care system in Arizona.  Well, just today I read an article on AZCentral.com and the new number of children in Foster Care as of June, 2011 there are now 11,082 children in foster care.  
The article "CPS Squeeze: More Children in need, Fewer Foster Homes" help to reinforce what we at OCJ Kids have been seeing in the agencies we are connected with.  Group homes filled to capacity and in some cases over full, babies coming into the homes at two days old, and all this leads to tension in the homes.

Just this past week, I had the wonderful opportunity to introduce a new volunteer to a teen girls home out in Tempe.  It was very exciting!!  We played Uno and got to know each other, then in the middle of the game, one of the young ladies had enough of the personality of another young lady in the house.  What happened next could have turned out worse if it wasn't for the staff on duty at the time, she handled the situation beautifully.  There was almost a fight at the house that night.  I think one of the great things that happened that night was that the volunteer was not scared away.  She is going back to continue working with these girls.  To help build up their self esteem and develop life skills as they prepare to enter the real world. 

The need is great right now here in Arizona for foster parents and volunteers to work with these young people, who are obviously hurting on the inside to be so angry on the outside. 

Will you be one who helps these young people?  Will you help OCJ Kids reach out to this lost and hurting generation that are being passed around from place to place?

These kids NEED YOU!  Check out our website http://www.ocjkids.org/ to find out how you can help.

Take action today!  Get involved!

The start of a New Year!!!

Last Month, one of the young ladies I have been working with decided to AWOL after we found out that she was not turning 18 but 17 years old.  It was a sad day when I was told that she left. Iit made me start thinking of ways to change what I am doing?  What impact am I making?  How can I effectively help facilitate a mind change in the teens I work with?
These fantastic ladies have so much potential that some of them never grab a hold of.  It is time, now that I have the relationships, it is now time to talk about the hard stuff.  It is time to help them start thinking of their future.  Even if they get angry on the inside because they don't want to deal. It is Time!!!

I got word today that the young lady who AWOL ed is coming back!!!  I am excited!!!  I still have the opportunity to help facilitate change!!

Stay tuned for updates.  It is a new year and I am determined to see these young people succeed!