ICM News: Register Today for ICM's "Coming Together for All Children" - May 13; Support Celebration of Excellence for Georgia's Foster Care Children Now; Opportunities from A Future.Not a Past. and Renovacion Conyugal

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People of faith are called by that faith
to speak for all children.

May 3, 2010

From meditation by Joy Borra, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, at ICM's April 20 general membership meeting:

For quite a lot of us, living thru April 20, 2010, feels like we are living in a hard place...Hard economic times where we ourselves are more stressed than usual...Hard times if we work in helping professions, because we know the food bank is low on food, more people are homeless and need help, there are more children needing foster care and fewer people and less money to care for them.

We may feel battered by what's going on in the world. But we are still here. And the children who need us to speak for them have not gone away. We must keep on...Doing what we are called to do for Georgia's children. Doing what we can do. Doing it because it must be done!

MAY IS NATIONAL FOSTER CARE MONTH

This past Sunday, Rev. Byron Thomas of Central United Methodist Church called upon the congregants to become instruments of God's refreshment. In the same vein, Joy Borra's meditation called upon each of us to be instruments of refreshment for Georgia's children. Each call requires us to look beyond ourselves, our own circumstances, and see the needs of those around us. ICM has been asking for several weeks that you become instruments of God's refreshment by supporting Georgia's foster care children through the Celebration of Excellence.

We have been asking individuals and faith communities to provide $25 gift cards to the 400 foster care children who have persevered for 18 years to graduate from high school. We have asked that faith communities sponsor a $1.00 per member scholarship campaign to help support the children who have been accepted into college or technical school.

This request for refreshment is no small matter. An Annie E. Casey study found that 42% of foster care children become homeless after "aging out" of care--when they turn age 18; 22% became homeless within a year of becoming "independent." How many of these high school graduates are destined for homelessness because they lack the necessary support system to survive on their own?

Please respond to the invitation in this newsletter and on our Web site to support Georgia's foster care children. Not just because ICM is asking you to do so, but because you recognize that we all are called to be instruments of God's refreshment.

INTERFAITH CHILDREN'S MOVEMENT

WELCOME & REDEDICATION CELEBRATION

(FREE CHILD CARE WITH ADVANCE REGISTRATION)

The honor of Your presence is requested. We gather to welcome and celebrate you and the children we serve; and to renew our commitment to do what we are called to do; do what we are able to do; and do what must be done for children.

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"Coming Together for All Children"

Interfaith Children's Movement

Welcome and Rededication Celebration

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Thursday, May 13, 2010

6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

(Registration begins at 6:00 p.m.)

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Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta

1911 Cliff Valley Way, Northeast

Atlanta, GA 30329

(Please go to www.uuca.org for driving directions.)

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Dinner will be served.

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Register for Event via Web Site

(you must log onto the Web site first to register via the Web site Calendar);

or send an e-mail to info@interfaithchildrensmovement.org;

or call 770-498-2141.

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This is a great opportunity for child advocacy and other child well-being organizations to provide information about the work you're doing to help children in Georgia.

Please let us know that you're coming.

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FREE CHILD CARE will be provided for children (infants - 12 years old). However, you must make a reservation in advance.

The deadline to make a reservation for child care is May 7, 2010.

Please go to http://www.uuca.org/children/childcare/childcare-reservation-form to make your official reservation for child care.

Spaces are limited, so make reservation today.

(This is a free event.)

To register click here.

ICM CALLS UPON FAITH COMMUNITIES TO SUPPORT THE "CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE"

The "Celebration of Excellence" is an annual statewide event that honors and recognizes youth in Georgia's foster care system who will graduate from high school, vocational school, GED programs or college. This year's event will celebrate some 400 foster care youth and will be held Wednesday, June 9, 2010, at 6:30 p.m. at Georgia State University's Rialto Center for the Arts in downtown Atlanta. Victoria Rowell will be the keynote speaker.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

ICM is calling upon faith communities to help us support this joyous occasion by participating in the following ways:

1. Start a $1 per member scholarship campaign at your faith community to help give scholarships to graduating foster care children who will be attending college or technical / vocational school. Less than three percent of foster care children go to college after graduating high school. (The scholarships will be given to the post-secondary institution on behalf of the student.)

2. Donate gift cards in increments of $25 to help students with purchasing supplies they will need for school, work and home. Please remember that children who turn 18 while in foster care are said to have "aged out" and transition into independent living status. Our goal is to give each of the 400 children a gift card.

3. Join the COE Volunteers Team and commit to assisting at the event on June 9.

4. Come to the celebration and give love and support to these well-deserving youth. It is free and open to the public.

Let us help make June 9, 2010, an especially positive and memorable day. Please contact Pamela Perkins at 770-498-2141 or send an e-mail info@interfaithchildrensmovement.org to sign up as a volunteer and to find out more information about the $1 per member scholarship campaign and donating gift cards.