Episode 59: Recruiting, Developing, and Sustaining Foster Families

This week we have a great interview with the lovely Lindsey Stamm, the Operations manager at Arizona127.  What is Arizona127? This is an AMAZING organization that exists to recruit, develop, and sustain foster family through training and events. They want to help foster children, and support the families who foster them. Follow them on Instagram to stay up to date on their trainings and events! (Lindsey manages this account and she does an amazing job!) For those who choose not to be a foster family, they recommend checking out these important ways of getting involved: - becoming a CASA (court appointed special advocate) which requires you to take a polygraph test and training. But well worth the time as you get to spend time with children in care, and be a voice for them in their case! - becoming a Mentor through Arizonans for Children, which requires 2 hours a week of your time. They also have tutoring and craft volunteer options available! The (Good) Word of the Day Whom have I in heaven but you?     And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail,     but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. - Psalm 73: 25-26 What a great and encouraging word! We talked about how broken this world is, and the foster care system especially. But, when God is our hope and our portion - we can take heart and have peace. Lightbulb Moments: - At a TBRI training, Lindsey learned, and then reminded us that Hydration and Glucose levels are of the utmost importance and can greatly affect your child's (and your) attitude and disposition. Check your child's urine color to see if they are hydrated enough! - Sesame Street introduced a new muppet who is in Foster Care! And just in time for Foster Care Awareness month! It is so important for people to see others who represent them well in media. Last year, when Crazy Rich Asians came out, the Asian community was elated to see a full cast of people who looked just like them. There is a slew of movies and tv shows out there that have foster children in them, and we are so thankful that Instant Family is one of them, and now Sesame Street is too! - Make sure to check if you are at an Urgent Care or an Emergency Room. The difference is significant in terms of co-pay, and someone who hosts this podcast may have accidentally gone to an emergency room this week, only to be told he was constipated.  Thanks for tuning in to another episode of our podcast! If you want to connect on Social Media: Jihae Watson on Facebook Chris Watson on Facebook Fostering Voices on Instagram Jihae Watson on Instagram AND we would LOVE it if you would leave us a review on iTunes! This helps others to find our podcast so we can share these voices from the foster care and adoption community with more people!