By Sherry Larson
People’s Defender
It’s the second week of November, and Christmas décor and music are already in full fa -la -la- la- la. Are we pushing the season? Have we forgotten Thanksgiving? Norman Vincent Peale once said, “Christmas waves a magic wand over the world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” I think we are just all ready for a bit of magic.
The Adams County Children Services Foundation asks you to wave your wands and sprinkle some Christmas magic on the children in the kinship-relative program. These kids live with family or someone with whom they have a close relationship. The financial support we give helps families provide gifts for Christmas morning. Jill Wright, Director of Children Services, said, “The kinship families are the ones that take on the children and get minimal financial support.” Katie Ross, Intake Supervisor, piggybacked, “These kids are with their families, but not necessarily getting the funding.” And Holly Johnson, President of the Foundation Board, echoed, “The kinship placements are the component that does it because they love their family members.”
Wright elaborated on the kinship and relative program, explaining that their first response when taking custody of a child is to determine the relatives and close relationships in their life. A kinship could be someone’s neighbor who wants to love and care for the child. In those cases, it’s not foster care, and the process is not as involved as licensure, although background checks, home study, and other steps are required.
Tina Gordley, Administrative Assistant for Adams County Children Services, explains that last holiday season, the Foundation served 140 children from 83 kinship and relative families, donating $11,000 in gift cards. The cards were distributed based on the number of children and their ages. The Foundation tries to get the cards to the families around Thanksgiving so they can shop for the children before Christmas.
The Adams County Children Services Foundation is a 501C3 Nonprofit, and donations are tax-deductible. Currently there are 175 children in custody with 63 in relative care and 11 in kinship. The remaining 101 children are either in foster care or other settings including the Wilson Children’s Home.
The Foundation works diligently with other agencies to avoid dual gift providing. Please write checks to the Adams County Children Services Foundation and contact Tina Gordley at (937) 544-2511 with any questions. Wright wants Adams County to know, “We appreciate the community support.”
Let’s be a part of the magic.