GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Throughout the month of February, you may notice some special swag on your table when you go out to eat.
Foster Kent Kids, part of West Michigan Partnership for Children, is partnering with local restaurants to bring attention to the need for foster parents in West Michigan. It's called Fall in Love with Foster Care.
You can find out more about becoming a foster parent and the foster care system at 2 Guys Brewery, Luna GR, Harmony Hall, Harmony, Creston Brewery, Brewery Vivant, Atwater Brewery, The Mitten Brewing Co., City Built Brewery, and Danzon Cubano.
If you are interested in becoming a foster parent you can start down that path with the help of Foster Kent Kids. Some of the steps include attending a three-hour orientation that provides an overview of agency policies and licensing rules, filling out an application, participating in-home visits and interviews, completing criminal background checks, pre-licensing training, and becoming licensed. The entire process takes about six months to complete.
West Michigan Partnership for Children is funded by federal, state, and local grants to pilot a performance-based model for foster care in Kent County.
There are more than 400,000 children in foster care on any given day in the U.S. Approximately 13,000 are in Michigan. The organization works in partnership with Bethany Christian Services, Catholic Charities West Michigan, D.A. Blodgett-St. Johns, Samaritas, and Wellspring Lutheran Services.
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