An estimated 408,000 children are in foster care currently. Each year, nearly 30,000 children age out of the foster care system with no permanent home or familial support to turn to. For the very first time since our inception in 2007, Give Something Back is proud to take part in the observance of National Foster Care Month during the month of May.
May was proclaimed National Foster Care Month in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan. Each year, the standing President of the United States issues a Presidential Proclamation regarding National Foster Care Month. The initial focus was to acknowledge foster parents and their dedication to foster children in need of support. With each passing year, the focus shifts slightly. Primarily, the focus of the annual observance is to encourage the adopting of children from the foster care system and pay tribute to professionals in the system (social workers, mentors) who dedicate their time to these children and their families.
“National Foster Care Month presents an appropriate opportunity for all of us—public officials, business, religious, and community leaders, and parents alike—to reflect on the pressures facing families today and on the need for increased efforts to ensure that abandoned or abused children have the opportunity to live in healthy, loving homes.”
– Ronald Reagan, 1988 Proclamation
View Reagan’s full Presidential Proclamation of National Foster Care Month here.
Throughout the month of May, volunteer opportunities and educational initiatives regarding the foster care system take place throughout the United States. We are humbled to participate in this month of awareness, as Give Back is proud to dedicate our mentor services and scholarship support to foster youth throughout the country. We encourage you, too, to take the opportunity to learn more about this critical system within our country and the several ways in which you can support foster youth and their families.