JRI Fostercare Blog

Articles related to: Help Foster Children

5 min read

Fostering Support: Donation Drives

By Courtney Edge-Mattos on May 7, 2024

Foster parenting is not a fit for every person.  Not everyone is in the right stage of life, has a schedule with the needed flexibility, or has the space within their home to add another person.  Not everyone’s household members agree with the idea of fostering.  Not everyone has the health and wellbeing to commit to foster care.

While fostering isn’t for everyone, there is nearly no limit to who can contribute to the foster

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2 min read

Foster Friends: Join Us for "Winter Crafts and Apps" Event

By Courtney Edge-Mattos on November 14, 2022

We live a step ahead in foster care (whenever possible- we also fly by the seat of our pants a good deal of the time as plan A yields to plans B, C, D, etc). 

Though it is just November, our eyes are trained on December, a month of so many holidays, celebrations, and gatherings.

This year, we invite you, our Foster Friends of JRI, to set a festive tone for the season.  On December

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3 min read

Foster Care: Season of Giving

By Courtney Edge-Mattos on November 7, 2022

Tables laden with wares form a rectangle.  At the center, our staff members stand wearing brightly colored, holiday-themed clothing.  Ugly sweaters have found their home here, much to the delight of our young patrons.

Each table has a theme.  Household items here, baby toys there, beauty products on one table, sports memorabilia on another.  Young people start lining up well in advance of the opening.  They clutch their tickets in eager hands and crane their

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6 min read

Ten Ways to Support Foster Care (Without Fostering!)

By Courtney Edge-Mattos on April 29, 2022

Many folks want to support foster care, but aren’t in a position to open their homes to a child or youth in care. 

Is it still possible to help?  Absolutely!  Here are ten ways you can step forward to support foster care.

  1. Hire a Youth in Care

Are you a small business owner or manager?  Do you hire for summer/after school/weekend work?  Reach out to your local fostering agency and submit a job description.  If

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3 min read

National Foster Care Month 2022

By Courtney Edge-Mattos on April 29, 2022

May is National Foster Care Month.

What does that mean?  Why does it exist?

It isn’t a celebration of foster care.  Foster care occurs when families do not have the supports they need to safely keep children in their homes, so that’s not something for which we should break out the party hats.

What is National Foster Care Month all about?

National Foster Care Month is a time to bring the conversation of foster care

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5 min read

The Key to a Successful Foster Home: Structure is Healing

By Courtney Edge-Mattos on January 10, 2022

Structure.

It is a term that is used often in foster care, right from the first MAPP class and all along.  There’s good reason, too.  Humans thrive on structure- a predictable routine and environment of known factors.  For children and youth who have experienced countless changes and trauma, structure helps reset the brain and allow it to regulate emotions, learning, and expectations.

That’s all fine and well, but if you’re new to the world of

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1 min read

Foster Friends: A Holiday Thank You

By Robert Costa Jr. on January 10, 2022

Dear Foster Friends of JRI,

You may have thought you were just purchasing a holiday gift for a child, something to brighten their Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa celebration.  You may have thought it was a simple gesture to make them feel included and to check an item off a wishlist. 

I’m here to tell you, every gift was so much more.

Foster Friends, your gift reinforced a child’s right to dream.  Your gift was a

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9 min read

Why Choose JRI Foster Care?

By Courtney Edge-Mattos on October 21, 2021

Why JRI Foster Care?

According to our most recent foster family surveys, foster parents choose to work with JRI Foster Care because of the support they receive from our team and our agency.  If you’ve never done foster care, it might be hard to know what you would need in terms of support and what to look for in an agency.  Well, wonder no more!  Here are the supports JRI Foster Care provides and why

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4 min read

A Foster Care Message: Grateful Hearts in 2020

By Robert Costa Jr. on December 2, 2020

As 2020 winds down, we all know that it has been a tumultuous year. But despite the difficulties we have faced, I know there are people we can call, day or night, when a child is in trouble.

 

They are the caretakers who open their homes when the courts order a child removed from their home for their own protection — perhaps because a parent or guardian has been arrested for drugs or violence

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3 min read

Foster Friends

By Courtney Edge-Mattos on June 25, 2020

“Remember that no one succeeds alone.  Never walk alone in your future paths.” –Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayer

There are days and nights when we all feel alone.  Our staff, our children, our foster parents, our biological parents…Probably even the judges presiding over these fragile lives feel alone. 

But we never are.  Not a single one of us.  And we shouldn’t be. 

We are part of a caring community.  We are surrounded by friends

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Foster Care...Foster Hope

A Blog to Support Foster Parents

Our foster care program is rooted in the principle that every child deserves to feel safe, to be nurtured, and to thrive. Our foster families and staff are committed to maximizing each child's potential within our stable and loving foster homes.

Remember:

  • Stable homes nurture neglected children.
  • Compassionate homes mend painful pasts.
  • YOUR home can change the life of a child.

If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, please complete our foster care interest form.

Featured Posts

Preparing for An Arrival

You’ve taken the classes.  You’ve been fingerprinted, interviewed, reference-checked.  You’ve watched the “Removed” movie fourteen times.  You’ve read blogs and

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Helping Hands

There are so many wonderful people out there who want to support the children and families with whom we work. 

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JRI Service Navigator

Do you have a question about JRI services?

Rachel has been a part of the JRI team since January, 2000. For over 20 years, Rachel has been working in the field of human services assisting families with accessing and navigating services. Rachel received her Bachelors degree in psychology and Masters Degree in Public Administration from Bridgewater State University. She was promoted in July 2005 to Family Networks Program Director where she closely worked with the Department of Children Families for 10 years ensuring that children and families received the highest quality of individualized services ranging from community based through residential care. Rachel is very dedicated to helping the individuals she works with and is committed to improving the lives of children and families. Rachel’s passion for creative service programming inspires her in her role as JRI Service Navigator.