Fosterful

"Our flagship program is called Caring Companions, where volunteers are mobilized to sit with children to offer comfort, care, and companionship during a very difficult time. We serve foster children on call at child welfare offices through our three pillars. 1. Fosterful Caring Companions Volunteers - Recruiting, training, and mobilizing volunteers regularly so that we can build capacity in our Fosterful sites in Washington. Our goal is to have ample volunteers so that when a social worker requests a volunteer to sit with a child at the child welfare office, one is available., 2. Basic Necessities - including clothing, food, and backpacks/duffle bags to children experiencing foster care. Our volunteers outfit a child so that when they enter a foster care home they take a new set of clothing, a warm coat and shoes that fit. We provide food to fill a child's belly when it may have been hours since they last ate. 3. Nurturing Environment - Maintain a nurturing space for children to wait with the Fosterful 'Caring Companion' volunteer. Built out by Fosterful volunteers, these spaces in the child welfare offices contain comfortable furnishings, therapeutic toys, engaging books, games and puzzles to keep a child busy while their social worker finds a foster home. These items get heavily used, so ongoing maintenance is required. Our second program, which was launched in June 2023, is called Sidekicks, where volunteers and staff are paired one to one with a child experiencing foster care. We coordinate with the foster caregivers to serve the child on a recurring basis, dedicating 6 to 10 hours per month for each child. Often referred by it's clinical name as Case Aides, our Sidekicks provide respite and support when and where it's needed most: in everyday moments at the home or out in the community. Sidekicks provide transportation and supervision so children can participate in sports, therapeutic services, daycare and various fun outings. The program has been well received by the foster care community and the demand for more staff and volunteers to serve the children has us continually recruiting and training to answer the grown needs. "