Greetings! 

This Sunday, we honor all of our very special Angels mothers for opening their homes and hearts to our community's foster children. In small ways and big ways, motherhood changes every aspect of a woman's life. We are grateful to our wonderful mothers for giving their time and energy to help vulnerable children and, in turn, strengthen our community.

We celebrate them for loving, protecting and nurturing Angels babies and giving them the guidance to become responsible, healthy, respectful individuals who will one day have families of their own.

Happy Mother's Day!

From all of us at Angels...

Meichelle, Jennifer, Stacy & Ellen

Angels in the Community

We're looking for opportunities throughout Santa Barbara County to speak about Angels Foster Care and the urgent need for foster families. If you know of a local club, group, church or synagogue that would be interested in a presentation about Angels, please contact Ellen. 

Facebook:  Please become a friend of Angels today and receive frequent posts about our latest news.

Angels Foster Care Picnic for Family & Friends

Saturday, May 19 from 11-1pm

Tucker's Grove Park, Santa Barbara

Kiwanis Meadows - Area 5

Join us for our first annual foster family picnic celebrating National Foster Care Month! Bring your family and kids for a delicious BBQ featuring tri-tip, chicken, hot dogs, beans, salsa and bread...all donated by the Kiwanis Club of the South Coast. We'll have face painting, crafts, a bouncer, an adjacent playground and family games. 

This is a great opportunity for people to learn more about the Angels program in an informal environment, and meet our wonderful foster families and children. Help us spread the

word about this fun event! 

Lunch:

* $20 for past and present Angels families (the cost includes all adults and kids in the immediate family). 

* $25 for non-Angels families

All proceeds benefit Angels Foster Care!  

Send cash or a check to Angels Foster Care, 3905 State Street, #7-115, Santa Barbara CA 93105. Or, pay by credit card using the secure donation page on Angels' web site (www.angelssb.com/donation). Be sure to note your name and your meal choices for each family member: Tri-Tip, Chicken or Hot Dog. The deadline to reserve lunch is Monday, May 14.

We look forward to seeing you there!

New Parent Classes & Groups

There are many opportunities to get involved in playgroups, classes and activities with your Angels baby! Here are a just a few organized groups. Visit the ParentClick website for a more comprehensive list of offerings and activities in your neighborhood.

South Santa Barbara County

Play with Me, Learn with Me

Family Place Parent/Child Workshop Series for ages 1-3

Fridays, May 11, 18 & 25, June 1 & 8, 5:15-6:30pm

Goleta Public Library, 500 N. Fairview Ave.

Help your toddler learn through books and play. Get handy tips from community experts. Make new friends and fun crafts. Pre-registration is required. (805) 964-7878.

SBCC Continuing Education: Parent Education classes 

(Spring session now underway, but you may be able to join an existing class. New session starts June 25. Summer classes display online on June 4th. 
Continuing education classes are a great way to meet other parents and kids in a supportive environment. Learn strategies and tips. Entertains toddlers with movement and play. Classes are designed for specific age groups and include: Infant Times I & II, Growing Times I & II, Music Times I & II, Toddler Times, Parents & Kids in Parks and more. Most classes cost $10 or less for the session. Various locations throughout Santa Barbara and Goleta. Visit the Continuing Education web site to view the current class schedule or call the Wake Center at 805-964-6853.

MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers Group)

A non-denominational group that meets for speakers, crafts, mom's night out, and other fun activities. New groups form in the spring and fall. Santa Barbara and Goleta chapters. Visit the MOPS web site for contact information. 

PEP (Postpartum Education for Parents) 

The current PEP Group meets weekly on Wednesdays in Santa Barbara from 10-12noon and is a great place to get to know other new parents with babies the same age (generally newborn to 4 months). Facilitated by PEP volunteers, it is a safe place to share your highs and lows of parenting a newborn. You'll find peer support and make friends that will last a lifetime.  Visit the PEP web site for more details.

North Santa Barbara County

MOMS (Moms Offering Moms Support)

This group offers friendship, support, weekly playgroups and other activities for moms and kids. Information: Orcutt: 350-3148; Santa Maria: 928-0655 or 925-0351.

MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers Group)

A non-denominational group that meets for speakers, crafts, mom's night out, and other fun activities. Groups form in the spring and fall. Santa Ynez, Vandenberg, Orcutt and Santa Maria chapters. Visit the MOPS web site for contact information. 

Social Worker Corner: May is National Foster Care Month

  Each May, National Foster Care Month provides an opportunity to recognize the more than400,000 children and youth in the foster care system nationwide. Locally, in Santa Barbara County, there are approximately 600 youth in the foster care system.  As you know, Angels Foster Care of Santa Barbara is a licensed Foster Family Agency, operating locally to place the youngest of these children in stable and loving homes. 

   It makes me proud to say that our name as an agency is out there in the community. I often run into people who have heard of Angels, through knowing one of our wonderful foster families, or through another supporter. However, many people I encounter in the community still do not understand what foster care truly is. Many of you may have had this

 experience too, or may be wondering yourself, what exactly does "foster care" mean? In light of spreading knowledge and awareness about foster care, here is a brief summary you can share with others who may be trying to understand more about what it all means:

Children and youth are placed in foster care when their parents (or guardians) are no longer able to care for them in a manner that ensures their wellbeing. Children are removed from situations where they are considered to be at risk- usually this is due to a variety of factors such as drug exposure, violence, abuse, neglect, or parents who have unmet mental health needs. Children who are at risk come to the attention of Child Welfare Services through various types of 

reporting. For example, teachers, doctors, law enforcement, concerned citizens, or other family members. Child Welfare then investigates these situations and determines whether or not a child needs to be removed. If it is determined that a child needs to be removed, then the child becomes part of the foster care system. These youth are desperately in need of stable, loving care until they can either safely reunite with their families or establish other lifelong relationships with a caregiver. The intention of Foster Care is to provide a safe haven for children who are in need, protecting them from the "adult" problems, and allowing them to receive quality care-giving. Some of these children are able to return to their biological families once the situations are deemed safe and appropriate. Other times, these children are adopted by their foster parents. 

   Please take a moment to think about a way you can help spread the word or acknowledge foster parents in our community. You don't have to become a foster parent to make a difference (although we always need you, so don't hesitate to call and find out more!). Here are a few simple ideas to recognize National Foster Care Month:

Play trivia with a friend- Ask them if they know how many children are in foster care nationwide? How about locally? 

Find out if there are any foster parents who are a part of your network. For example, maybe you know a friend of a friend, or someone who attends your Church. You can:

            - Offer to run errands for them

            - Drop off a care package of healthy snacks for the family

            - Send them a card to acknowledge their effort to care for children in need

Check out the website for National Foster Care Month and share the link via Facebook or Twitter: http://www.fostercaremonth.org/Pages/default.aspx

Make a donation to Angels Foster Care, or another organization that supports children in foster care.

Together we can make a change! 

The Last Word

In honor of National Foster Care month, we would like to share several quotes from foster children who have aged out of the system. These quotes speak to the experience of our foster youth and the lasting impact of a childhood without a consistent, loving family to count on.