National Foster Care Month is celebrated each year in May to raise awareness and support for children in foster care. There are over 400,000 children in foster care at any given time in the United States and roughly 700 children enter foster care each day.

Children are removed from their families and placed into foster care for various reasons. Their parents may be incarcerated, battling substance abuse, have difficulty providing necessities or may even be abusive. Whatever the reason, these children need support and everyone can do something to help!

The Children’s Foundation of America’s mission is to provide an opportunity for every person to help children heal, learn and thrive. We accomplish this through our volunteer program and fundraisers.

In May, several local businesses partnered with the Children’s Foundation of America and raised $5,900 for children in foster care. These funds will be used for things like sports uniforms, summer camp, yearbooks, graduation cap and gown, scholarships and other resources to help youth participate in the same everyday activities as their non-fostered peers.

Thank you to participating businesses:
West End Real Estate Professionals
Rock & Brews
Tintura Salon
Rio de Ojas
The Giving
Escape Salon
Old Magnolia Shoppe
Bert & Rocky’s Ice Cream
Amelie
Aromatique Skin & Body Care
I Like Pie Bakeshop
Curtis Real Estate

Jenelle Phillips, Development Specialist
Jenelle oversees the day-to-day operations and staffing of the Foundation, which includes fundraising events, volunteer coordination, community outreach and donations. Above all, Jenelle’s focus is to identify and access resources in order to help children heal, learn and thrive. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from California State University Fullerton and has become very involved in the community. She is active in her church, owns an art gallery, organizes the local art walk and is on the executive board of the downtown district’s marketing group.