Title: Foster Care in our Community, A Panel Discussion with The Family Room
Description:
There are almost 500 children in foster care in Champaign County. Our community supports them with a network of agencies, case workers, foster parents and advocates. Post-pandemic, the numbers of youth in care continue to rise and the needs have increased significantly. What can our community do to ensure these young people have every chance possible for success?
May is National Foster Care Awareness Month and a good time to talk about our local foster care system. The Family Room is a nonprofit organization founded in 2019 to provide wrap-around services to these families and service providers, and to bring comfort and joy to children in transition. Join us for a panel discussion to learn what is happening in our system and how we can all make the world a little brighter for these kids.
About the Speakers:
Heidi Gulbrandson-Andrews - Senior Supervisor at DCFS and The Family Room Board Member
Amariah Hayes - Former Foster Child, Advocate Coordinator at Champaign County CASA and The Family Room Board Member
Jami Tanner - Educator, Foster Parent and The Family Room Board MemberJess Firmand - Child Welfare Site Supervisor at The Center for Youth and Family Solutions
Moderated by Jenette Jurczyk, Co-Founder and President of The Family Room
Registration Information:
This event will be hosted in person at Lodgic Everyday Community 1807 S. Neil St.
and
on ZOOM for those who would prefer to attend virtually
**Where to Find Your Zoom Link:
Each registrant will receive 2 reminder emails prior to the luncheon. You'll find the Zoom meeting information in those emails, as well as in your confirmation email which you will get immediately upon registration.
Registration for in person is $18.00 and includes lunch.
Registration to attend in person will be available until noon on Monday, May 16. After that time, registration switches to "late registration" at a price of $25.00. Registration via Zoom is free and will close on Wednesday, May 18th at 12:00 noon.
Luncheon Start Time:
11:30 a.m.: Registration and Networking
11:45 a.m.: Lunch is served
12:00 p.m.: Meeting/Program begins in person and Zoom Call Starts
Non-Members: If you are not a member of ECCC and wish to attend as a guest, please contact Janice McAteer, Outreach Chair, to register.
