KidsPeace Foster Care has received $16,000 in gifts to help its Bucks County (PA) foster families cope with the first month of a placement of an opioid-impacted infant or toddler. The “Transition Month Fund” is designed specifically to assist KidsPeace foster families in addressing the significant financial and time management challenges they face as they begin caring for medically fragile children.
The gifts came from members of the “100 Women + Who Care – Bucks County” group, and were announced the at the organization’s quarterly meeting June 4th.
In presenting the need for the funding, KidsPeace Vice President of Development Ann McCauley said, “Child care support is essential during the first month for our foster families, when they are managing the urgency of preparing a home, blending a family with a new member and addressing what can often be the incredibly extensive medical, developmental and physical needs of an opioid-impacted infant.”
McCauley noted the tremendous impact the opioid epidemic has had on foster care in Bucks County. “Three out of four children referred to our Doylestown office this past year were infants or toddlers, and that’s directly related to the surge in opioid addiction,” she said. Heather Moore, KidsPeace’s regional foster care manager for southeastern Pennsylvania, told the group that KidsPeace Foster Care – Doylestown was unable to place nearly 20 opioid-impacted infants with foster parents last year because of the financial burdens in the first month of a placement.
Founded in 2014, 100+ Women Who Care – Bucks County describes itself as “Women Coming Together to Support the Local Community.” The organization provides its members with the opportunity to support worthy non-profits by pooling resources and awarding funding on a quarterly basis. Any member can nominate a non-profit group to be considered for funding; KidsPeace was nominated by the co-chair of its Southeastern PA Board of Associates, Ifeoma Aduba. More information is at www.100womeninbucks.org.
