National Foster Care Month is every May and focuses on increasing the visibility of organizations that provide foster care and other services for youth. Beyond the dedicated national month, it’s easy to support foster care organizations all year round so kids continue to receive everything they need to have healthy and fulfilling lives.
As of 2020, there are more than 400,000 children in the foster care system in the United States, and each of them need well-rounded care to achieve long-term success. Your crypto donations help provide mentorship, educational support, healthcare, and more to foster youth as well as their families.
Read on to see seven of the main ways foster care nonprofits support children and how you can make a donation to support their essential missions today.
Can I Donate Crypto to Foster Care Nonprofits?
If you’re interested in donating cryptocurrency to foster care nonprofits, either in support of National Foster Care Month or at any other time of year, you absolutely can.
In fact, more and more nonprofits in the foster care space are tapping into Crypto Philanthropy as a revenue source for their missions: “As a 100+ year organization, we know that as the world shifts all around us, we must keep up. We must be able to leverage new technologies to make us resilient and sustainable over time,” Kelsey Driscoll of Upbring said of her organization’s decision to begin accepting crypto donations.
Through The Giving Block, multiple foster care and child-services nonprofits accept donations in crypto. You can search the nonprofits that have onboarded with us to see if your favorite foster care organization accepts crypto donations.
Or, consider a donation to our Children & Youth Impact Index Fund. This Impact Index Fund will distribute your donation equally among nonprofits that serve youth around the world, including some nonprofits that focus on foster care.
Learn more about Crypto Philanthropy’s impact on National Foster Care Awareness Month in our Twitter Space with Kevin Granato of 4KIDSand Kelsey Driscoll of Upbring.
7 Ways Foster Care Nonprofits Support Kids for Long-Term Success
Many child-services organizations aim to address children’s health and wellness in its entirety—so kids can not only find a safe place to stay but also a safe environment that nurtures them.
Not every foster care nonprofit offers all of the following services, but many organizations support children for the long term by:
1. Providing Emergency Shelters.
Foster care programs aim to move kids from a state of crisis to stability. While this often involves a transition to a permanent living situation, in some cases, children need short-term care or a temporary living arrangement. Emergency shelters provide kids with a safe space to stay and include support services such as clinical care, making a world of difference when kids don’t have any other place to turn to.
2. Ensuring kids have everything they need.
When children arrive at emergency shelters or enter foster care, they often have very few belongings. Some nonprofits put together duffel bags or backpacks full of school supplies, clothes, shoes, and toiletries so foster youth don’t need to worry about having the basics. For young children, these kits often include comfort items like blankets and teddy bears.
3. Hosting activities and programs so kids have something fun and safe to do.
Many foster care nonprofits sponsor year-round programming and activities. These programs are a way to help kids build life skills and stay engaged. For example, CEDARS, a foster care nonprofit in Nebraska, empowers kids through resources and programming to have long, healthy lives or become fully independent.
4. Providing academic support to ensure educational success.
One of the major ways foster care organizations make a difference to kids is by providing educational services. These services help foster youth connect with their counselors, receive the help they need to continue going to school, and get accepted into college. Many organizations offer ACT prep classes, scholarships, and even college move-in support.
5. Establishing mentorship and long-term support.
Through foster care nonprofits, many kids receive mentorship on the life skills and readiness they need for a successful life. Some nonprofits have life skill centers or pair kids with a mentor. Immediate and long-term benefits to mentorship include enhanced self-esteem, improved interpersonal skills, and healthier lifestyle choices.
6. Implementing positive development programs.
Foster care organizations provide positive development programs for kids who are at high risk of becoming involved with, or may already be involved with, the youth justice system. These programs prepare kids for successful lives in their communities and focus on preventing law violations from happening in the future. Kids receive support in the areas of employment, education, crisis intervention, building healthy relationships, and more.
7. Providing clinical services for kids and their families.
Another important aspect to foster care organizations is that they support the clinical needs of foster youth, providing all-around care. Clinical services that organizations have often include mental health support, trauma assessment, behavioral assessment, crisis stabilization, and counseling. These services are available for families as well and not just the kids themselves.
Donate to Foster Care Organizations Now
One of the best ways you can support foster care or child-service organizations is to help spread awareness of their missions. Increasing the visibility of National Foster Care Month and donating to foster care organizations all year round is important so these organizations can expand their reach to as many kids as possible.
Show your support for child welfare today by making a donation and learning more about the many ways foster care is making a difference in children’s lives.
