Tag Archives: fostering

5 Things You Should Know About TFC

TFC is an acronym for Therapeutic Foster Care. TFC involves placing foster youth with severe mental, emotional, or behavioral health needs in a home with clinically trained foster parents. Here are some other things you should know about TFC:

 

  1. Kids in TFC, versus regular foster care, are more likely to have been exposed to more adverse experience. This is important for prospective foster parents to understand why TFC youth need a higher level of care.
  2. TFC usually involves more in-depth training for foster parents on neurobiology, the brain, and attachment styles.
  3. Exposure to abuse, neglect, and trauma at an early age affects brain development because the absence of a safety person at a young age creates a lot of insecurity and puts the child in a constant state of stress, impacting mental, behavioral, and emotional development.
  4. For kids in TFC, the end goals are reunification, adoption, Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (APPLA), or custody/guardianship.
  5. Due to the disruption an instability that youth in therapeutic foster care often experience, the importance of having relationships with stable, loving adults in their lives both while they’re in foster care and once they’ve aged out of care is immeasurable. 

Words from a former foster youth

500_f_82751996_rcnh63sditfnt1pnp5cf5thxlhbrew5vThe following was shared with us by a young woman who was previously in our foster care program. She highlights the impact her foster mother and Hearts & Homes for Youth had on her healing and growth. 

I grew up living with my parents until age 9. At that time, my older sister stepped in and placed me in foster care due to the way my parents were living and their inability to take care of me. My sister wanted me to be in a better place. When I entered foster care, I was placed in a Baltimore City home where I was bullied, humiliated by the foster parents, and made to feel less than human. Luckily, I was removed from that foster home and was placed with Hearts and Homes for Youth at the age of 12.

I’m so grateful to have had Hearts & Homes come into my life because without them I wouldn’t have met some of the people I had. The biggest impact in my life was my foster mom, because she allowed me to be myself. She opened up not only her heart but her home as well. While I was there, I started healing from my past. She helped me cope with my parents’ death and allowed me to stay with her after I aged out of foster care when I turned 21. She is the reason I learned to become the woman I am and I couldn’t imagine life without her. I couldn’t have asked for a better mom.

Hearts & Homes worked with me through my ups and downs. They never treated me like part of the system; they always treated me as though I mattered and was not just a number. They helped me reach my goals and let me know that I can be anything and do anything I set my mind to.

I think foster parents should know that all we really need is attention and love, just like if we were your own child.

Every single person I’ve met at Hearts & Homes for Youth has taught me something, even through simple words of encouragement. They taught me that life is full of challenges and opportunities, and even as an adult you still need help.

I now work as a retail sales associate at a beauty supply store and I am also an author of my own books that will be published in the coming months. I got married and joined a church that my husband and I enjoy going too, and I have no regrets about my past. I learned forgiveness on my journey, perseverance, and more importantly, to never be afraid to ask questions. I’m not perfect but I enjoy the life God has given me. I know now how short life can be. I’m grateful for everything.

Foster parents can make an incredible difference in a young person’s life. Click here if you are you ready to accept the challenge and be the change.

A Holiday Party for Damamli/TFC!

20161204_154756Hearts & Homes for Youth recently hosted a holiday party for our young mothers, foster youth, and foster parents!

For the past few years we have hosted our annual holiday party in a private room at Dave & Busters. Our youth look forward to the party because the food is great, the atmosphere is lively, and they get power cards for the arcade section!

9970This year we had games for the adults while the youth played arcade games, but before we knew it the young people were in the room playing with us! They enjoyed the friendly competition for prizes. The event was a great opportunity to build bonds that will last a life time, adding to the holiday cheer.

The holiday season is often difficult for many of the youth in our care, but our staff, foster parents, and donors put all their effort toward making this event a special opportunity for our young people to have fun, be kids, and create new memories!

 

Opportunities to get engaged with Hearts & Homes!

Are you interested in getting involved with Hearts & Homes for Youth and supporting our services? We have listed below a variety of ways you can engage with us! We look forward to hearing from you!

Volunteer

Volunteering is a great way to make a positive difference in your community. Hearts & Homes for Youth is looking for volunteers to help us with landscaping, painting, house renovations, and other needs at our facilities. We are also grateful for individuals who donate their time, skills, and services to the children at activities for our youth such as the Princess Party! We welcome individuals to volunteer as mentors but require a commitment, a background check, and a security clearance.

Sponsor an Event

Hearts & Homes for Youth is looking for sponsors for our annual HONORS gala in October and golf tournament in May. The success of our events is a result of the contributions of our sponsors! At every event, the money we raise goes directly to the programs that serve the children in our care. As a sponsor, your organization will receive exposure from media campaigns and event promotions. You will also have exposure at the event.

Host an Event

Become a volunteer event organizer by hosting a fundraising or awareness raising event to benefit Hearts & Homes for Youth! Events are opportunities to raise awareness of our mission and bring the community together to support the children and teens of Maryland who we serve.

Examples of events include dinners, brunches, parties, foster parent information nights, and so much more!

Fundraise

Support Hearts & Homes for Youth by holding a fundraiser! Fundraisers are fun opportunities to support our mission by fundraising as a company, individual, or group on behalf of Hearts & Homes. As a company, you can donate a percentage of sales, start a workplace giving & matching campaign, or hold creative events to raise money such as office dress down days and softball tournaments! As an individual, group, or school, you can raise money on behalf of Hearts & Homes with a fundraiser or sale, by creating a fundraising page online, or auctioning an item.

Support Our Foster Parent Recruitment

Hearts & Homes for Youth is looking for individuals and families who are willing to offer the gifts of love and sacrifice to youth in need by opening their hearts and homes to a foster child. Foster Parents Receive intensive training, 24 hour support, and the opportunity to provide a teen mom or adolescent youth with love, nurturing, guidance and the chance to heal from past hurts. You can support our campaign by hosting an event, referring friends who are interested in fostering, and helping spread the word about our program.

  • If you are interested in being a foster parent or helping us recruit foster parents, please contact Maureen Rodgers and mrodgers@heartsandhomes.org

Host a Youth for a Day

Invite a young person to your place of work, to shadow you and learn more about your business. Show them how to conduct operations in your place of work and develop their vocational skills.

Donate

Hearts & Homes for Youth is grateful for your support and appreciates your donations! We greatly appreciate in In-kind donations such as office and school supplies, household items, recreational equipment, and clothes (socks, sweatpants, winter coats, underwear, t-shirts, etc.) You can also make a tax-deductible donation to support our programs, by mail or online.

We will be sharing our kids’ Christmas wish lists soon! This is a great way to give back at a very special time!  More details will be coming soon!