Angels Foster Family Network November Newsletter

October 25: 4 months old. 14 broken bones. Our extraordinary Angels family = safety, love and room to heal. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.

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Help a child today.

October 2012: 7 Babies Placed,
11 Babies Turned Away

Angels found outstanding families for 7 babies in the month of October. Regrettably, 11 more calls were received when we had no homes available.

The weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's bring the most calls for babies in crisis. If you've been to an Angels orientation and have wondered if the time is right-
Apply NOW to enroll in our last 2012 training.
Be the holiday magic for a baby who desperately needs it.

Thank you to all the San Diego families who have
transformed the lives of our babies.

A letter from our Associate Director:

Dear Friends,

We are overflowing with gratitude and excitement about the unprecedented success of our very first dinner event- An Evening with Angels. Even before the arrival of the first guest, the night was filled with magical energy that is difficult to describe.

From the action-packed cocktail hour, where prizes and auction items dazzled the crowd, to the powerful video story told by our families, to the unfathomable journey described with such deep emotion by keynote speaker, Antwone Fisher, it was an evening none of us will forget.

We congratulate our most deserving Halo Award recipients, social workers Annika Winter and Sara Lucchini. Their commitment to transforming the lives of children inspires our mission and helps us stay focused on the amazing difference we can make for every baby welcomed by an Angels family.

If you were able to be with us on that wonderful evening, we thank you. If you were there in spirit, we felt your presence. Our work continues. The funds raised will ensure that we can expand our families and extend our reach.

There are still so many babies in desperate need of nurturing homes. Our goal is to have an extraordinary Angels family ready to love and care for each and every one of them.

With Gratitude,

Rachel

Diary of a Foster Mom: Good-Bye Day: Part 1

If you follow our Diary of a Foster Mom posts, this next series is sure to stop you in your tracks. We'll post the next chapters of this story on Facebook over the next few days. Grab the Kleenex and let's go- because this is what we do.

It was right after my WIC appointment for the month of September and I was walking the baby aisles of a local grocery store looking for some teething toys for Baby Girl. The drool is in full force now and she loves to suck on her blankets. I decide on the fridge ones. My phone rings and it's Ernie, the county worker. I haven't heard from him in a few weeks and am so anxious to hear what he is going to say. He says he has some updates for me. They have found a family. Oh wow! Okay. They seem very nice and he is optimistic ...

Click here to continue reading.

Our 2012 Video

Watch the true story of Angels told by those who make it possible. Be prepared to be inspired.

Click to watch below.

Ask Dr. Mama

Dr. Mama is better known as Rachel Zahn, MD, a pediatrician and mom of three grown kids. She is also the Angels Associate Director. She is always available to our foster parents for support and answers to any health questions you might have. For more parenting advice check out her website MamasOnCall.com.

Dear Dr. Mama,

We have 3 children in our home; 1-year-old twins we're fostering and a 3-year-old son. Our son has asthma that was diagnosed last year. We've been warned by his pediatrician that he needs to get the flu shot since the asthma puts him at greater risk, even though he's well controlled and hasn't had a flare up since diagnosis.

My question is about the twins: can they get the shot too? Should they? They're not really exposed to too many other children, but they do have visits with their birth parents, which take place in parks and other public places like Starbucks. I'm just not sure which way to go. Can you give us some guidelines?

Tentative in Tierra Santa

Read the answer here

Read previous Dr. Mama questions or e-mail Rachel a question.

Adoption Congrats

Congratulations to
Stephanie and Eric on the adoption of James
October 19, 2012.

Join Forces with Angels this Holiday Season

There are many ways you can support Angels this holiday season:

Turn your holiday party into a Baby Item Drive- lose the white elephants for a good cause- or ask for a small donation from your guests.
Give the perfect gift to everyone on your list- make a tax deductible donation in honor of friends and family and transform the life of a child.
Attend the "Winter Wine Dinner", hosted by Olivetto Ristorante & Wine Bar in Mission Hills, where a % of proceeds are going to benefit Angels on Dec. 9. See the menu here.
Attend the "Little Black Dress 90 Minute Workout" at Agility Studio in Carlsbad benefiting Angels on Dec. 1
Host a dinner or fundraiser at your restaurant, gym or retail store like the ones above.

Did You Know? Six Startling Statistics:

2 in 3 foster kids will be homeless, die or go to jail within one year of leaving the foster care system at age 18.
An African American male placed in foster care is 10 times more likely to end up in prison than in college.
1517 children between newborn and three entered foster care in San Diego County in 2011.
More than half of former foster youth are unemployed.
80% of the US prison population was once in traditional foster care.
Babies in traditional foster care will be moved an average of 4 times in the first year.

Thank You Corner

Angels is thankful for the donations of our valued friends. Without your generosity we could not provide the stable love and care that promotes healthy childhood development for San Diego children in need.

Thank you to all our generous October donors!

Learn More

Angels FFN 2012

To learn more about Angels, please watch this video.

Call 619-283-8100 or contact us on-line at www.angelsfoster.org to learn how you can make a donation or become a foster parent.

Angels only places babies in San Diego County, California.