November is Adoption Awareness Month and JFS Connecting Hearts is excited to once again partner with WTVR CBS 6 to present “A Hand to Hold,” a campaign shinning a spotlight on children and teens in Central Virginia’s foster care system who are waiting for a forever home.
Each day for the month of November, CBS 6 will show a different unique story from a youth or teen in foster care, giving hundreds of potential parents the opportunity to learn about a child or teen.
The Central Virginia foster care system has nearly 1,200 children waiting for loving homes, with over half of them being teenagers at risk of “aging out” of the system. Every child or youth is looking for a place to belong. Kids in foster care want to belong to a family. Family is where they learn important life lessons that prepare them for adulthood. Teens who age out of foster care without a family or support system have a higher risk of homelessness or developing a substance dependence. A positive relationship with a supportive adult makes a great impact on a young person’s life.
JFS’ Connecting Hearts program is dedicated to helping children and teens in the Central Virginia foster care system beat those odds through our mission “to find kinship, adoptive, and foster families for every child.” Partnering with CBS 6 we hope to inspire everyone to get involved, whether as an adoptive or kinship family, foster family, or mentor. Anyone with a loving heart and supportive spirit can help make a difference in a child or teens’ life.
To learn more about children in foster care or how you can get involved, please reach out to the Connecting Hearts Program Manager, Denise Wise-David, at
dwise-david@jfsrichmond.org or (804) 349-0786.
