How Else Can I Help? Supporting Montana’s Children in Foster Care Without Becoming A Foster Parent
Montana is facing a foster care crisis. As of December, 2,600 Montana children were in foster care because they had been abused, neglected, or abandoned by their families. At 406 Families, we are spending the summer learning more about foster care through our contributor Abby Riley. Read more of Abby’s writing about foster care here, here, here, and here.
Research shows that between 30-50% of foster parents quit within the first year. And this statistic is not super surprising - foster parenting is very hard, and oftentimes foster families lack the wraparound support that they might need in order to keep going. We have been licensed foster parents for over four years, and a huge part of the reason we have been able to sustain foster parenting for that length of time is the way our friends, family, and larger community have come around us and supported our family in this work of caring for vulnerable children.
If you have a heart for children in foster care but aren’t in a place to become a licensed foster parent, there are so many ways you can help - both by directly supporting kids in foster care, and by supporting foster families in your community.
One of the best ways to support a foster care parent is to be there for them when they need to talk.
Some options for getting involved at the local community level include:
Becoming a CASA: Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers have the incredibly important job of advocating for children in court. Acting as the eyes and ears of the judge, CASA’s gather relevant info about the case, child, and family. They have the opportunity to interact with the children, the foster family, the biological family, the caseworker, and other members of the team. They attend court and make recommendations to the judge about what is in the best interest of the child. For more info, visit: Volunteer - CASA Missoula MT - Court Appointed Special Advocates
Volunteering with Watson Children’s Shelter: Local to the Missoula area, there are several different opportunities to get involved through Watson Children’s shelter. From building maintenance to clerical work, to yearly events such as Bike for Shelter in the spring or Watson Tennis Pro-Am in the fall, there are many ways to use your skills and talents to make a difference with this organization. For more info, visit: Volunteer — Watson Children's Shelter
Volunteering with Youth Homes: Youth Homes operates group homes for children in foster care around the state of Montana, including in Missoula, Hamilton, Kalispell, and Helena. They welcome volunteers to help with things like math tutoring, art or music lessons, job interview training, etc. They also are sometimes in need of volunteers for one time projects including building maintenance or special events. For more info, visit: Volunteer - Youth Homes
Adopt-A-Room: Another way to support Montana children who are living in group homes around the state is through Youth Home’s “Adopt-A-Room” program. This involves making a yearlong commitment to prepare and/or maintain a bedroom in the home so that children moving in have a safe and welcoming space. This includes purchasing bedding, room decorations, etc. For more info, visit: Adopt-A-Room
Donate to a local Foster Closet: Many communities have Foster Closet’s where foster families can go shopping (for free!) when they receive a new placement, or when clothing needs come up for children they have placed in their home. Donating clothing, shoes, etc. to your local Foster Closet is a great way to tangibly support children and families. In the Missoula area, we have a foster closet that is housed at Missoula Alliance Church. For more info, visit: MAC Foster Closet
