Athens-Oconee CASA is holding a Foster Care Candlelight Vigil this evening. The event is for attendees interested in supporting and leaning about children in foster care in the community.
Susie Weller is Executive Director of of Children First. The gathering is taking place at the First Baptist Church Downton this evening.
"Our goal is to bring awareness to the community about the large quantity of children that we have in foster care in Clarke and Oconee counties,” Weller said. “Currently we have over 300 children in foster care and this is profound. We are the smallest county in the state.”
Weller says this meeting is for members of the community to learn about different ways to help by either considering a foster parent, or by supporting foster children or parents.
“You could become a CASA volunteer, which means that you advocate for children in foster care. You get to know the family, you write a report and you present it to the juvenile court judge."
She says there are several ways those wanting to extend a helping hand can assist foster parents.
"There are ways to support foster parents as well. You can make meals, or be a respite home, or drive kids to the dentist, there are ways to help out in small ways. You could donate items that parents need, that families need, we have many families that are moving into a new place and have nothing.
Weller says foster parents run the gamut.
“We have many single parents, we have many gay couples that are foster parents, we have churches that have created a foster parent environment.”
For more information, visit the Athens-Oconee CASA Facebook page.
