Thank you Virginia Foster Families!

"FOSTER-FRIENDLY"

BUSINESS INITIATIVE

Empowering the community to be the solution for children, families and workers in Virginia's child welfare system

As part of a collaborative partnership, we are pleased to offer current foster families special benefits at foster-friendly businesses across Virginia.

Foster parents are helpers, healers, and heroes in ending the foster care crisis in Virginia. It is a rewarding and challenging role.

50% of foster families quit within the first year, often due to a lack of social support. This program is designed to support and encourage them.

WHY SUPPORT FOSTER FAMILIES?

VIRGINIA IS IN A FOSTER CARE CRISIS

500 KIDS EXIT FOSTER CARE EACH YEAR WITHOUT FAMILY

89% BECOME ADDICTED, HOMELESS, INCARCERATED, OR PREGNANT WITHIN 2 YEARS

EACH TEEN WHO "AGES OUT" WITHOUT A FAMILY COSTS TAXPAYERS $300,000 OVER EACH KID'S LIFETIME

THERE IS A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM AND LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY

THE RESULTS ARE BLEAK AND THE NEGATIVE IMPACT STRETCHES ACROSS ALL OF VIRGINIA

THIS CRISIS IS SOLVABLE,

BUT WE HAVE TO ACT NOW

A 2018 VA GOVERNMENT AUDIT REVEALED SERIOUS ISSUES IN VIRGINIA'S FOSTER CARE SYSTEM AND CALLED FOR IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION.

IN 2020, FEDERAL LEGISLATION MOVES FUNDING

FROM GROUP HOMES TO FOSTER HOMES, MEANING A DIRE NEED FOR MORE FOSTER FAMILIES NOW.

WE HAVE WILLING PARTNERS IN EACH SPHERE - GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS, FAITH, & CREATIVE - WHO ARE READY AND EAGER TO SOLVE THIS CRISIS NOW.

CURRENT FOSTER FRIENDLY BUSINESSES

ARE YOU A BUSINESS OWNER?

JOIN THE STORY

Support your community, your employees, and Virginia's most vulnerable children.

WANT TO NOMINATE A BUSINESS?

get your most-loved groups involved!

NOMINATE

ARE YOU CURRENTLY FOSTERING?

ACCESS THE FULL LIST

updated monthly

VIEW

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

IMPACT YOUR EMPLOYEES

Update your company's HR package to include foster-friendly policies that encourage fostering and adopting.

Get Started

IMPACT THE COMMUNITY

Be a Foster-Friendly Business by offering rewards and discounts to children and families in foster care.

Get Started

IMPACT THE FUTURE

Tailor your employee hiring opportunities towards teens/young people who have aged out of foster care.

Get Started

IMPACT YOUR PEERS

Give other socially-conscious business leaders the opportunity to help end one of Virginia's worst social crises by spreading the word about this mission.

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IMPACT THE CHILDREN

Help us help kids. Become a financial support to Virginia's Kids Belong, the nonprofit partner of this initiative.

Get Started

IMPACT your way

We have had many unique offers, such as a financial institution offering to teach free financial literacy classes to birth families. Have a unique idea for impact? Contact us!

Get Started