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August 2024 • ISSUE 6 • VOLUME 4
Weld County continues to need new foster homes, especially for older children and teenagers, youth with special needs, and sibling groups of two or more. When you partner with Weld County to become a foster parent, you are not alone. You join an entire network of people committed to your success in caring for at-risk youth needing safety, security, and tender loving care. Having enough foster homes means having foster homes all throughout Weld County and having openings. It doesn’t mean always having every foster home at capacity, but having enough foster homes that allow us to be strategic in matching youth with the foster home best suited to meet their unique needs and location. It also means having short-term, respite, and emergency placements available. If you’re not yet fostering, why not take your next step today! Join our foster care community and receive access to these resources:
- 24/7 on-call staff support
- An individualized treatment team
- Networking and support groups
- Ongoing free training opportunities
- In-home consultations
- Child care
- Respite care
- Annual appreciation/holiday events
- Colorado Medicaid to cover medical, dental, therapeutic needs
- Clothing allowance
- Mileage reimbursement for appointments
- Monthly maintenance reimbursement for the care of the child (need-based)
Together, we can provide an environment where youth needing foster care can move beyond surviving to thriving.
-Kristy
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“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” - Nelson Mandela
Are you interested in learning more about foster care? Register for an orientation to learn more about foster care and the certification process.
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Saturday, August 17: 4 to 6 p.m., Love Thy Neighbor Community Church, 12257 State Highway 60, Milliken
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Wednesday, August 28: 4:30 to 6 p.m., Weld County Human Services, Building A, 315 N. 11th Avenue, Greeley
 You’ve already attended orientation? Register for pre-certification training by contacting Kristy at deandakr@weldgov.com. The schedule for these trainings
is below.
Upcoming Pre-Certification Training – (Choose One)
Cohort 8 (Wednesdays, In-Person & Zoom Hybrid)
24 Hours of NTDC
Meets Wednesdays, August 7 to September 25, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Classes 1, 2, and 8 will be in-person at Windsor Community Church, 700 Automation Drive, in Windsor; Classes 3 through 7 will be virtual via Zoom.
Cohort 9 (Friday/Saturday Intensive)
24 Hours of NTDC Training
Meets September 7, 20 and 21. Saturdays all day at Rez Church, 6502 East Crossroads Boulevard, in Loveland; Friday night via Zoom.
The CO4Kids campaign is deeply committed to listening attentively to and valuing the voices and experiences of the young people who have experienced foster care in Colorado. Their perspectives help guide our mission and actions. We strive to honor their unique insights and ensure their contributions shape our decisions and initiatives. Please contact Weld County Foster Care if you're willing to foster teens!
Watch the vidoes on the Colorado Department of Human Services website.
“When a case is brought to [Child Protective Services], they first try to provide support to keep children in their homes. When that is not possible and a child enters kinship or foster care, the parent is given time to address the concerns and hopefully be reunified.”
Read more on the America's Kids Belong website.
For the month of August, the Weld County Area Ambassadors (JD19—Weld) are hosting a foster and kinship family fun event at Rogue Play trampoline and Ninja Center for our Weld County area.
RSVP using this Google Docs form.
The Ambassador Project – Weld County Area
Foster and Kinship Family Fun Event
Sunday, August 11, 10 a.m. to noon
Rogue Play Trampoline and Ninja Center, 5800 W. 18th Street, Greeley
RSVP required!
Foster Source Leader of the Herd Workshops (Foster Source)
Upcoming August workshops:
Friday, August 9, and Friday, August 16, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Take advantage of equine-assisted parenting practice in partnership with Groundwork Ranch. There is no riding involved and four training hours will be earned. There are no longer different levels of the workshop, and each workshop is new and different. This will change the way you parent!
Register on the Groundwork Ranch website.
Parent's Night Out
Sunday, August 18, 3:45 to 7 p.m.
City Lights Church, 7251 West 4th Street, Greeley (New location!)
Weld County foster, kinship, and adoptive parents, you deserve a night out! Dinner and activities are available for your kids, ages 0 to 17. Register through Survey Monkey by August 2.
Educational Stability for Children in Foster and Kinship Care (Foster Source)
Saturday, August 24, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
3879 East 120th Avenue, #218, Thornton
In this session, foster care education subject matter experts will share information about educational rights for students in and out of home care, how foster and kin parents can support school stability, and programs that may be available to students in foster care to achieve educational success. The session will include time for case discussion and consultation related to supporting educational outcomes for youth in foster care.
- Free breakfast provided.
- Free child care provided by Cobbled Streets.
- Two training hours will be earned.
Register on the Foster Source website.
Therapeutic Foster Care Info Meeting - Virtual
Thursday, August 29, 2 p.m.
Weld County was one of the first counties in Colorado to develop a therapeutic foster care program. Our hope is to recruit three more families to help children and youth needing therapeutic care in Weld County. No commitment is required!
Contact Kelly Krause at krausekc@weld.gov for more information and to RSVP.
For more information, visit the CO4Kids website.
Save the Date!
Foster and Kinship Appreciation BBQ
Thursday, September 19, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Island Grove Exhibition Hall, 421 N. 15th Avenue, Greeley
We appreciate our foster and kinship families! Join us for a night of food and fun for the whole family. Invites coming soon!
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
The Colorado Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) and 988 Crisis Hotline Enterprise proudly announce the launch of a campaign to increase awareness and utilization of the 988 Colorado Mental Health Line. This service connects people in Colorado to trained crisis specialists offering compassionate mental health and substance use support via call, text, and chat. Be sure to add this to your emergency contacts and an accessible place in your home in case it’s needed!
Foster Friendly App - Discounts and Support for Foster Families
The Foster Friendly App offers valuable, practical discounts from area businesses on products and services your family needs to adapt and thrive as you care for children. The app also connects you with Foster Friendly faith communities and nonprofits that provide your family with hands-on support. Download today on the App Store or Google Play.
Youth Employment and Training
Youth employment and training programs provide eligible individuals with opportunities for education, training, and work-based learning through several activities, services, and programs which can assist youth with job readiness and preparation for the workforce. For more information, visit the Weld County website.
Operation Foster Hope (Foster Closet)
Operation Foster Hope provides clothing, shoes, diapers, nursery items, furniture, strollers, car seats, school supplies, hygiene products, safety equipment and other needed items to families free of charge.
For more information, email operationfosterhopecloset@gmail.com.
Referral Incentives
Foster parents are the best recruiters! Weld County foster parents can refer a family, up to five per calendar year, and receive $100 upon placement. The referred family must name you at inquiry or by their orientation. Have your friends and family visit www.weldgov.com/go/fostercare for more information and to register for orientation.
KindConnect is a Realities for Children program intended to be the connection of kindness between the item needs of at-risk children with community members that have the items they need in Northern Colorado. Become a donor or join the delivery team.
We are also seeking a volunteer admin to help run this program in Weld County. Contact Kristy DeAnda deandakr@weld.gov for more information.
Weld County is proud to partner with Realities for Children, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, to collect monetary and item donations for our children and teens in foster care. Your gift provides emergency funding to Weld County youth who have been abused, neglected or are
at-risk. All donations are tax deductible, and 100% of your donation goes directly to help our children and teens in foster care. For more information visit the Weld County website.
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