1. 8 of 10 High School Seniors in our Foster Care Program Graduated
Half of all foster kids nationwide drop out before graduation, but 8 of our 10 high school seniors graduated in 2016. This makes them more likely to get a job, escape poverty, and enjoy a long, healthy life. We threw a graduation party here at the office to celebrate their accomplishment; they all faced big obstacles but they overcame. We’re proud of their strength and hard work.
2. A Young Woman Returned Home Safely After Being Trafficked
Youth in foster care can have a difficult time settling into a new home and they are especially vulnerable because of past trauma. A young woman had been victimized through trafficking before placement in CHOSEN foster care. While in care, she ran away from home and once again became a victim of trafficking. Praise God that she returned home and has developed a deep, trusting relationship with her foster parents. She has not run away from home since!
3. We Organized a Block Cleanup/Block Party in Patterson Park
Volunteers and community members came together to clean up a block in Patterson Park, Baltimore. We worked to help neighbors see the value of working together to make their neighborhoods and families stronger through the Community of Hope.
4. We received a $100K Donation to Kickoff our Countdown to 100
Building Families is launching a campaign to celebrate our 100th Anniversary in 2020 and this year we received a $100,000 gift. A wonderful way to start!
5. Our 2nd Annual Agape 5k was a Success!
The 2016 Agape 5k was held on June 11 and because of a mix-up at the permit office, we ended up merging our race with the AFCEA Race for Excellence. Debbie Marini had the opportunity to share about our mission with over 1,000 people, our logo was on everyone’s t-shirts, and our information was shared in everyone’s swag bags!
6. 13 Youth in Foster Care were Reunited with their Biological Family
At the foundation of our work is the belief that God designed families, and that’s where kids are most likely to grow and thrive! Whenever possible, we work to empower biological parents and to reunite families. After children are reunited, we offer continued supports to ensure that families are safe, nurturing, and stable.
7. Our First Open Table is Exceeding Expectations
Mo, formerly a foster youth in our CHOSEN program, became the first beneficiary of Open Table this year! The Open Table model involves a group of volunteers who meet weekly to support youth who are aging out of foster care. Since the Table began meeting, Mo has gotten into an independent living program, she did well in her first semester of community college, and they’ve helped her complete the 60 hours of driving required to get her license. She also got to help fly a plane!
8. Safe Families for Children Volunteers Provided an Estimated 24,000 Hours of Childcare
Our volunteers provided safe, caring homes for kids while their parents focused on dealing with crisis situations like unemployment and homelessness. Because of the 24,000+ hours of childcare that they provided, as well as other extended-family-like support, many families were able to weather difficult times and have remained together.
9. We Have 3 TBRI Practitioners in our Office, with Only 12 in the State of Maryland
This year we were able to send three members of our team to Texas to be trained as TBRI Practitioners. TBRI stands for Trust-Based Relational Intervention®. It is “an attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention that is designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children.” We’ve been training all of our staff and foster parents to use TBRI and have already seen it’s powerful, positive effects.
10. Benjamin Watson, Tight End for the Baltimore Ravens, Hosted an Event for our Families
Benjamin Watson and his wife Kirsten have established a Christ-centered foundation called One†More. Every Christmas, they find a local organization that works with families in need and partner together to bless those parents with the gospel message. They host a time for fun, connecting with other families, and provide for a shopping spree for each family—personally helping the families to choose gifts for their children. New to the Baltimore Ravens and to Maryland, the Watsons reached out to Building Families for Children. We were excited to bring together families who have benefited from family stability services across our continuum! The event was meaningful and a lot of fun! Ravens teammates Chris Moore and Morgan Cox also attended the event and helped the shoppers pick out gifts.
