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!

Catching Up!

So many things to talk about.  So let me start with an update of the young lady that AWOLed.  she is back at the home and getting ready to have a baby and very soon.  Tammie has been joining me at the house on Mondays to help this young lady walk thru this time and have a healthy delivery of this beautiful little man who is coming into this world.
Let me back up a bit and share with you the reason this young lady came back.  She was scared to give birth and wanted to be safe.  So she made the choice to leave the boyfriend and her mom and come back to the group home, where she feels safe.  Tammie says, it is the nature of the expectant mother to find a safe place as she gets closer to delivering.  I am just glad she was able to come back. (more later on this subject).  Now she is back and her face does not have the stress lines as they did when she first got back to the house.  She is working with Tammie, a Doula, and wanting to remember this time with pictures of her belly.  I am thankful she now has an opportunity to have a wonderful experience of giving birth.

Onto another story, you know the more later :-).
This week I had the opportunity to into one of the shelters we are in association with.  this shelter is not down town, it is not a big building, but it is in a neighborhood just like yours.  It is a safe place for teens and children are placed for a short time while other arrangements are made.  Sometimes this is the only safe place these kids know.  this particular house was for teen girls and the stories of these young ladies will break your heart.  They come in with nothing and get a bed.  not only to they get a bed but they get the opportunity to experience a safe home.   As we were talking with the house manager she told me the story of one of the young ladies at the house.  She is the oldest of her family and was the caregiver to her young siblings.  Mom was not capable of be that person.  Because of an incident she was removed from her siblings and placed in this shelter.  On this 16 year old's bed you will find 3 little baby dolls, all gently wrapped in their blankets and safely placed in a safe place on the bed.  This is the only was she knows how to deal with this nurturing instinct she has now that she is not with her siblings.
Another story we were told, was about another young lady who decided to leave, because space is so limited her bed was filled quickly.  Soon the house manager received a phone call from this young lady who wanted to come back.  The house manager had to tell her there was no room, she would have to wait.  Sometimes they would have to wait in juvienile hall until a bed opens up. 

The number of kids are growing and the beds available are not enough to provide places for all of them. there is a need out there.  a need for beds, for homes, for caring people who will be a friendly face, a family, a helping hand.  Some of the kids have nothing, not even shoes.

What can you do to help out?