Foster Village

Every child (and caregiver) deserves a village of support. 💛 And at Foster Village, we know how important it is to wrap around families right from the start of the foster care journey.

When daily requests roll in for Welcome Packs and tangible items, our team is committed to responding within 24-48 hours. We quickly equip children and caregivers with the essentials they need (cribs, car seats, beds, clothes, toys, books, and more!) and help the emergency placement process feel a little less chaotic and a little more connected.

From the start, this incredible village walks alongside families so they know they aren't alone as they navigate the twists and turns of child welfare.

A few of the faces around Foster Village lately 🩵

Avery, an 8th grader who turned a school passion project into something bigger, sold candles up and down her own neighborhood to benefit Foster Village. Her mom was so moved by the effort that she matched every dollar raised!

Our friends at Monkee's of Dripping Springs donated a beautiful batch of clothing to help equip the families we serve. These easily accessible essentials help bring relief as caregivers navigate the twists and turns of child welfare.

A fabulous homeschool group worked hard on their lemonade stand for Growing the Village is Sweet. They figured out pricing together and got excited over every single sale!

Olive delivered her 10th toddler bed and set of sheets, with her entire school pitching in to help her collect them. While you can't see her face, we assure you she's brimming with pride about the part she plays in this village.

Our incredible intern Melissa helped a caregiver with two Welcome Packs for brothers who recently moved homes. The caregiver was not only equipped with clothing, shoes, beds, and other essentials but also connected to additional tools and coaching through our Caregiver Support program.

So many different faces, so many different roles, but the same belief turned into action: children deserve a village beyond the system.

Sensory processing challenges are incredibly common among kids experiencing foster care, and Project SOOTHe exists to make sure families aren't navigating them alone.

A foster mom reached out to us recently about the little one in her care. This kiddo is verbally advanced, impressively coordinated, and full of personality. She's also navigating a nervous system that works overtime.

Visits with biological family had been especially tricky, and the meltdowns, the sensory aversions, and the moments of overwhelm were a lot to carry, even for a caregiver doing everything right.

Project SOOTHe got to work.

A weighted blanket and lap pad for the moments her body needed to settle. A trampoline and kinetic sand for the moments she needed to move. Oral sensory tools. A sound machine for bedtime. A stuffy for her, and one for her younger sibling too.

With an upcoming transition to another home, this foster mama wanted to make sure her kiddo had every possible tool to feel safe and supported, along with practical approaches she could lean on in the toughest moments.

This village of support made sure she had it.

We have been documenting ten years of Foster Village, one blog at a time. And this week's blog takes us back to 2017, when Hurricane Harvey hit, and this village was just one year old.

Chrystal writes, "We had outgrown the storage units. We had outgrown our own expectations. And we had just barely begun."

https://www.fostervillageaustin.org/blog/10-years-of-the-village-when-the-storm-changed-everything