FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 3, 2021
CAFF to engage the community in educating residents on the importance of fostering local.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - On August 6, 2021 Community Attention Foster Families (CAFF) will partner with The Shops at Stonefield’s Music on the Lawn series to raise awareness and recruit potential foster families to support their local efforts.
“We hope to bring community awareness around CAFF and fostering as well as bring more diversity to our foster parent pool,” Charlsie Stratton, CAFF Program Supervisor said. “It’s important because it allows us to help our children remain in their communities of origin, and allows us to potentially help children connect with families that share their culture and community experience.”
There are currently 106 children in CAFF families and CAFF supports 111 approved foster homes. Sixty-five percent of those homes are kinship care. Kinship care refers to youth who receive full time care with relatives such as grandparents, aunts or uncles, or others who have a close relationship with a child such as a coach or teacher. CAFF offers support and resource connection to those and all families in its program. By contrast, the statewide average for kinship care is around eight percent.
According to the Virginia Department of Social Services website, there are currently 5,853 children in foster care. CAFF partners with the Charlottesville Department of Social Services as well as Albemarle and Greene County Department of Social Services. There are 229 children in foster care in these localities.
Donations from the event will go directly to children in CAFF families to support a family enrichment or recreational activity.
Media Contact
Charlsie Stratton
Community Attention Foster Families
City of Charlottesville
strattonc@charlottesville.gov