WHEREAS, children are key to our community’s future success, prosperity and quality of life; and
WHEREAS, children have a right to thrive, learn and grow in a safe and loving environment; and
WHEREAS, foster parents, including kinship caregivers, provide the love, safety and stability that children need in order to overcome past traumatic experiences in order to reach their full potential; and
WHEREAS, Hennepin County foster parents are caring for and nurturing more than 1,400 children and youth in foster care today; and
WHEREAS, Hennepin County kinship and foster care licensing social workers’ efforts to identify, engage, and license relatives to provide temporary and permanent care for children has resulted in 61% of children in foster care being placed with relatives; and
WHEREAS, Hennepin County foster parents are helping birth families heal and thrive so children can be safely reunified; and
WHEREAS, Hennepin County foster parents help children transition from foster care to permanent homes through adoption or guardianship; and
WHEREAS, we must come together as a community to recognize the important role foster parents play in caring for children who have experienced abuse and neglect, supporting family reunification and building strong communities; and
WHEREAS, there is always a need for more foster parents in order to ensure children – especially older youth, children of color, children with complex needs, and siblings – have a safe, stable home in their community; and
WHEREAS, there are numerous individuals, nonprofit organizations and public servants who are dedicated to raising awareness about the needs of children and youth in foster care; and
WHEREAS, through partnerships with families, child welfare staff, and public and private agencies, there is a collaborative effort to ensure that children are supported and successful; and
WHEREAS, Hennepin County joins the nation in recognizing May as National Foster Care Month, in honor of the foster parents who act as true champions for the children in their care and are helping to ensure their brightest possible futures.