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Help foster joy this holiday season for children in need

The holidays are a crucial time for many foster families that may not have the financial resources to provide their foster children with gifts and toys on Christmas morning.

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EastersealUCP : Spotlight : Holiday Giving
By
Latisha Catchatoorian
, WRAL Digital Solutions
This article was written for our sponsor, Easterseals UCP.

There's nothing like seeing the wonder of the holidays through the bright-lit eyes of a child. Unfortunately, not all families have the means to provide their children with presents during the holiday season.

Foster children in particular are in need of a little bit of extra Christmas magic this time of year. With almost 15,000 children in the foster care system in North Carolina (and more coming into the system every day), there are more foster care youth than there are foster families available.

"This leads to placements in group facilities," explained Deanna Cornett, director of the Easterseals UCP Foster Care Program. "We strongly believe that every child deserves to live in and grow up in a home with a family."

What sets the Easterseals UCP Foster Care Program apart from several others is it offers multiple levels of foster care, including therapeutic care and specialized care for foster children with mental health needs.

Every year, Easterseals UCP assists 270 foster children in North Carolina by placing these children in loving foster homes. The holidays are a crucial time for many of these foster families that may not have the financial resources to provide their foster children with gifts and toys on Christmas morning.

"Throughout the year, Easterseals UCP helps every child have a memorable holiday by ensuring they are in a home that embraces them as part of the family. Our foster parents open their hearts and homes to make a difference in the child's life 24/7, 365 days a year," Cornett said. "These foster families make financial sacrifices and many have limited resources in order to provide a memorable holiday for their foster kids. We've taken the traditional ‘angel tree' to the digital age by creating an Amazon wish list where people can purchase toys that go directly to our foster children."

The wish list includes items for different ages at different price points, such as toys, electronics, gift cards, art supplies and sporting equipment. Those interested in donating to a foster child can simply choose a gift from the wish list by purchasing directly from Amazon and it will be shipped right to Easterseals UCP, making it a quick and easy way to make a big difference for someone this holiday season.

While the most important thing is for a child to feel safe and loved, foster children are especially vulnerable during this time of year. The holidays can be a difficult time for children who are still in transition or away from their biological families. Cornett emphasized the Easterseals UCP staff understands this can be a triggering time and undergoes specialized training to provide extra support to families during this season beyond just gifts.

Material things aside, Easterseals UCP knows the best gift above all else for these children is to be in a home with loving foster parents. While the organization's vision is to see all foster care children reunified with their biological families when deemed safe and appropriate, it strives to provide "the best out-of-home care possible until a more permanent plan can be achieved."

Nevertheless, presents under the tree for these children during the holidays helps to make their season brighter with a little added cheer.

Knowing they're doing their part to establish consistency in these children's lives and provide healing from past trauma by creating families for them, whether temporary or permanent, is fulfilling for Cornett and her staff all year round. She said there is nothing more rewarding than making a difference in the life of a child and her job is "the best job in the world."

"This time of year people are looking for a way to give back in a meaningful way, something our team is lucky to experience every single day. Our Holiday Gift Campaign is an easy way to get in the holiday spirit and spread joy to children who need it most," she said.

This giving season, foster care families are in need of your support. If you're interested in purchasing a toy that goes directly to a foster child, you can find the Easterseals UCP wish list here. Donations for the Easterseals UCP Foster Care Holiday Gift Campaign are welcomed until Dec. 18.
To become a campaign sponsor, please reach out to development@eastersealsucp.com for more information.
Easterseals UCP is a leading provider of disability-related services, offering meaningful and exceptional services so that children and adults living with disabilities and mental health challenges can live, learn, work and play in their communities.
This article was written for our sponsor, Easterseals UCP.

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