LITTLE WISHES: FUN, EXHAUSTING, WONDERFUL! - Foster ...

Spring Spring 2008
2008
Board Board of of Directors
Directors
Jeff Jeff Haller, Haller, President
DataServ
Thurman Thurman Brooks Brooks, Brooks Vice President
Bank of America
Kevin Kevin Roy Roy, Roy Treasurer
Solae
John John Adams, Adams, Champions Health Plan
Ric Ric Ric Anello, Anello, ricanello creative
Marty Marty Daesch Daesch, Daesch Sandberg, Phoenix, & von Gontard
Kathi Kathi Haller, Haller, DataServ
Anita Anita Anita Klopfenstein,
Klopfenstein, Klopfenstein, Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Cindy Cindy Licavoli, Licavoli, Junior League of St. Louis
Maurice Maurice Mahone Mahone, Mahone Monsanto
Steve Steve Mitchell, Mitchell, Thompson Coburn, LLC
Melody Melody Noel, Noel, Zerman & Mogerman, LLC
Bhavik Bhavik Patel, Patel, Sandberg, Phoenix & von Gontard
John John Phillips, Phillips, Phillips, Stifel Bank and Trust
Debbie Debbie Radasch, Radasch, Boeing
Colleen Colleen Raley, Raley, Edward Jones
Jeff Jeff Rosenblum
Rosenblum, Rosenblum Outbound Shipping Systems
Kirstie Kirstie Scheer Scheer, Scheer ReMax Gold
Michelle Michelle Shockley, Shockley, Shockley, KSDK NewsChannel 5
Elaine Elaine Smith, Smith, Missouri Children’s Division
Eddy Eddy Sutton, Sutton, Laclede Gas Company
Edward Edward Vazquez Vazquez, Vazquez Vazquez St. Louis City Family Court
Melanie Melanie Melanie Scheetz Scheetz, Scheetz Scheetz Executive Director
LITTLE LITTLE WISHES: WISHES: FUN, FUN, EXHAUSTING, EXHAUSTING, WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!
Volunteers in the “computer hotel”
purchasing Little Wishes gifts online for
our kids. We love our volunteers!
Little Wishes, sponsored by KSDK NewsChannel
5, is an incredible blend of organization,
dedication, and determination!
How How so? so? The process begins in the summer
when FACC staff upgrades the technology needed
on our website. A mini catalog is created and
mailed to foster parents, listing gifts that children
in foster care can select. FACC staff then meets
with various vendors to ensure there are plenty of
items in stock—we don’t want any child to be disappointed! Meanwhile, KSDK
NewsChannel 5 is busy shooting promotional spots and stories to air.
Once Once Little Little Wishes Wishes “kicks “kicks “kicks off,” off,” off,” generous St. Louisans begin granting wishes on our
website at www.foster-adopt.org. Many of you readers granted these wishes. In fact,
Little Wishes could not happen without your support! The next step is fulfilling the
5,000+ wishes you graciously granted.
Volunteers Volunteers play play a a key key role role—ordering role the
wishes online to be shipped directly to the
child. This is tedious, time consuming, and
often frustrating as stores begin to run out
of toys, sizes, colors, etc. Yet, we have to
work quickly because the closer we get to
Christmas, the higher the shipping rates.
The The last last week week of of Little Little Wishes Wishes is is a a
a
marathon marathon—staff marathon and volunteers work from
8:00 a.m. to midnight if necessary to grant
Jennifer Blome and Art Holliday, of KSDK
NewsChannel 5, help women of Toyota
Financial Services fill shopping carts with Old
every wish. At 5:00 p.m. on Friday,
Navy gifts for our children in foster care.
December 21st, staff and volunteers cheered as the last wish was granted—
and on its way to make the holidays special for a foster child!
Little Little Wishes Wishes Shopping Shopping Extravaganza Extravaganza Day
Day
On December 8th, many generous St. Louis shoppers granted hundreds of
Little Wishes for children in foster care. The stars of KSDK News Channel 5
joined FACC staff at Westfield Chesterfield Mall Mall, Mall
visiting with shoppers and
encouraging purchases. Volunteers from Junior League League League of of St. St. Louis Louis and
Girl Girl Scouts Scouts also helped shoppers choose gifts at Old Navy Navy, Navy Bath & Body Body
Works Works, Works Sears Sears, Sears
Toy Tyme and Footlocker Footlocker. Footlocker
FedEx was on hand to ship each
gift out immediately. THANKS TO ALL FOR A GREAT DAY!

FACC FACC Welcomes
Welcomes
New New Board Board Members
Members
• Marty Marty Daesch, Daesch, Sandberg,
Phoenix & von Gontard
• Steve Steve Mitchell, Mitchell, Thompson
Coburn, LLC
New New Staff
Staff
• Carlos Carlos Lopez, Lopez, Director of Investigations
Volunteer Volunteer Spotlight
Spotlight
Anna Anna Rhodes Rhodes is a 33-year-old
paralegal for Hilton & Harford,
L.L.C., who lives in Kirkwood with
her husband and two cats.
Anna first learned about Foster
and Adoptive Care Coalition when
she went shopping in December
2005 and found herself in the
midst of our Little Wishes
Shopping Extravaganza Day.
Granting a little wish for a foster
child was so rewarding that Anna
called FACC and asked if she
could do more to help.
Now Anna is one of our most
d e d ic at e d L ittle W is h e s
volunteers.
For the past two years, Anna has
taken vacation days to volunteer
in our office to grant little wishes.
She also volunteered at our
Shopping Extravaganza Day,
helping spread holiday cheer to
others granting wishes to children
in foster care.
Anna’s enthusiasm and hardwork
during 2007 Little Wishes
was invaluable.
Thank Thank You, You, You, Anna… Anna… Anna… for for all all your
your
dedication dedication and and support!
support!
Dear Friends of FACC,
Letter Letter from from the the FACC FACC President President
President
Last year was one of incredible accomplishments and growth at
the Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition! In 2007, FACC added six
new staff members and four new programs. In my last message, I
updated you on state funding that allowed us to launch the
Adoption Resource Center (ARC)—a dream for years. New services
FACC now provides through the ARC include a full time Education
Advocate, a Parent-to-Parent Network, and new support groups for
parents and for teenagers in foster care.
In early fall, we launched Family Finding, a new and innovative
child-specific recruitment program. Family Finding strives to
reconnect children who have spent years in foster care with long-lost relatives. These
relatives are located using new internet tools that were not available until recently. The
ultimate goal of Family Finding is to create permanency for these children and
resources to support the child if/when they age out of the system.
Have you noticed the new look of our website, www.foster-adopt.org? We’ve improved
the ways we reach out to the community—through our newsletters, both electronic and
print, our website, and the media.
Little Wishes was a phenomenal success in 2007—more than 5,000 holiday wishes
were granted to children in care. The thank you notes that have poured in from the kids
demonstrate that each gift was truly appreciated. Thanks to all who helped make the
holiday special for our kids.
Sadly, the needs of our children and families are still great. In 2008, we will work even
harder to recruit more foster/adoptive families, provide critical services to more
families and children, and take every opportunity to advocate for our children.
All the best,
Jeff Haller
Board President
Looking Looking for for Volunteer Volunteer Groups
Groups
FACC would like to develop more relationships with
groups of volunteers, for example - company community
service clubs and professional groups.
Volunteer groups have supported FACC in the past by
hosting parties for foster children, helping foster kids
with art & craft projects, providing child care to foster
children at respite events, sorting clothing donations at
our KidStore, and collecting clothing, school supplies
and/or backpacks.
P.S. P.S.—Don’t P.S. forget to make your reservation for
Old Old Bags Bags... Bags Proceeds help give every child a place
to call home!
Hope
Employees of Quick Cash play
Santa’s Elves during Little Wishes.
Do you work for a giving company?
Are you part of an organization that
wants to give back to the
community?
If your group would be interested in
working with foster children, please
contact Shelley Thomas-Benke at
800.FOSTER.3, or send an email to
s helleythomasbenk e@fosteradopt.org.

Fostering
2nd 2nd Annual Annual Old Old Bags Bags Party Party - Tuesday, Tuesday, April April 29th 29th from from 6:00 6:00—9:00 6:00 9:00 p.m.
Old Old Old Bags Bags is a great girls night out—get your friends
together for an evening of Cosmopolitans and yummy food.
Bid on hundreds of new and like-new designer handbags
like Coach, Prada, Marc Jacobs, Gucci, Cole Haan, Louis
Vuitton, Fendi, Burberry, Kate Spade, and help find homes
for kids in foster care.
Old Old Old Bags Bags takes place Tuesday, April 29th from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. at The Living
World in the St. Louis Zoo. The cost is just $75 and includes cocktails, gourmet
appetizers, and delectable desserts by Lake Lake Forrest Confections
Confections.
Confections
Great Great Chanel Chanel Raffle Raffle Package! Package! Beautiful Chanel signature leather tote bag, classic
sunglasses, and Chanel Chance perfume. Retail value is $2,500. Winner need not be
present to win. Raffle tickets tickets—$25 tickets
each or 5 for $100.
To purchase raffle tickets or make a reservation for Old Old Bags Bags, Bags
contact Debbie Genung at
debbiegenung@foster-adopt.org or 800.FOSTER.3 x38.
Grab Grab Your Your Girlfriends, Girlfriends, Get Get a a a Gorgeous Gorgeous Handbag, Handbag, Help Help Find Find Homes Homes for for Kids!
Kids!
Photo Courtesy of Sears Portrait Studio
Introducing Introducing … … The The The Birthday Birthday Buddy Buddy Program
Program
Are you looking for a way to teach your child about the importance of helping others? Your
child can make a foster child’s birthday dreams come true by enrolling in our all-new
Birthday Birthday Buddy Buddy program. As a Birthday Buddy, your child agrees to donate some or all of
his/her birthday presents to a foster child with an upcoming birthday. To find out more,
visit www.foster-adopt.org and, under Hot Links, click on the Birthday Buddy Program.
Help Help Foster Foster Children Children Make Make Lifebooks
Lifebooks
Foster children often lose track of threads in their lives. Moving place to place, photos are
lost and accomplishments are forgotten. One way to help foster children regain a sense of
self-worth is to help them create a lifebook lifebook. lifebook
FACC is seeking donations of scrapbook
albums, adhesive, stickers, photo paper, and other scrapbooking supplies, as well as
volunteers to help create Lifebooks at FACC events on May 31 and August August 22.
2
If you can help, please contact Shelley Thomas-Benke at 800.FOSTER.3 x29, or
shelleythomasbenke@foster-adopt.org.
A A Place Place to to Call Call Home
Home
Sharda Sharda, Sharda Sharda Tierra Tierra and Tiffany are three dynamic sisters waiting
for a family. Sharda Sharda (17-years-old) is an outgoing young lady
who enjoys dancing, cooking, and reading in her spare time.
She hopes to pursue a career in physical therapy.
“Friendly, funny, and easygoing” are words that describe
Tierra Tierra (15), a thoughtful and talented teen, who plays the
flute and enjoys singing in the choir. Tierra hopes to one
day go to law school.
Tiffany Tiffany (13) is honest, friendly and family-oriented. She
has a good sense of humor, and likes to “make sense of
things” by talking them out. Her favorite activities
include dancing, singing, and jumping rope. For more
information, contact Sheila Suderwalla at 800.FOSTER.3
x30, or sheilasuderwalla@foster-adopt.org.
“A Place to Call Home” segments air on KSDK NewsChannel 5 during the following
newscasts: Tuesdays, 6:00 6:00 p.m. p.m., p.m.
Thursdays, 5:00 a.m., and Saturdays, 9:00 a.m a.m. a.m
Wonderful Wonderful Volunteers Volunteers
Volunteers
FACC appreciates the time and
dedication that our volunteers give
to foster/adoptive children.
Many thanks to:
• Girl Girl Scouts Scouts of of America America and the
Junior Junior League League of of St. St. Louis Louis for
providing hundreds of
volunteers for our Little
•
Wishes Shopping Day.
We are very grateful to St.
Charles Charles Charles River River Church Church for
hosting a harvest party for
foster/adoptive kids.
• A big round of applause to the
Emory Emory Alumni Alumni Association Association and
United United Healt Healt hc hc hc are are for
volunteering at our Parents
Day Out.
• We also give our thanks to
Parkway Parkway Parkway UCC UCC, UCC Full Circle, The
Purple Purple Purple Cow Cow and Delta Sigma
Theta Theta for helping to ensure
that the KidStore racks are full
of good-quality clothing.
Donor Donor Spotlight
Spotlight
Generous holiday shoppers at
local Barnes Barnes & Noble Noble stores
responded to the invitation to
purchase books for children in
foster care by generously donating
a record 13,775 books books! books
These
books were distributed to our
children throughout the region by
FACC member agencies.
Children who attended the
Training Extravaganza on March
1st were able to choose two brand
new books to take home with
them. They were so excited!
On behalf of the children and
families we serve, THANK YOU
Barnes & Noble.

Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402
St. Louis, MO 63101
314.367.8373
800.FOSTER.3
314.241.0715 (fax)
www.foster-adopt.org
For For Every Every Every Child…
Child…
A Place To Call Home!
FACC FACC Wish Wish Wish List
List
FACC FACC KidStore KidStore wishes wishes for:
for:
• NEW socks and underwear
• NEW or like-new shoes
• Spring and summer clothing—
all sizes
• Swimwear—for all ages
• Books—for all ages
• Movie videos—VHS or DVD
• Baby equipment: highchairs,
strollers, carseats, pack’n
plays, etc.
FACC FACC wishes wishes for: for:
for:
• Scrapbooking supplies for our
children to make lifebooks.
• Prizes for the children at
Training Extravaganzas
• Gift cards—Target, WalMart,
Schnucks, McDonald’s, AMC
to give out to foster parents at
Training Extravaganzas.
Junior Junior Board Board News
News
The Junior Board had a wonderfully successful first full year in action. Members hosted
two fundraisers and also participated in several service projects— including a clothing
drive for the KidStore and a Parents’ Night Out. At the annual meeting of the Junior
Board in January, they set an aggressive calendar for 2008.
Welcome to the following newly-elected members of the FACC Junior Board:
UPCOMING UPCOMING EVENTS
EVENTS
2nd 2nd Annual Annual Happy Happy Hour Hour
Hour
WHEN WHEN: WHEN Friday, April 18th, 6:00 p.m.—10:00 p.m.
WHERE WHERE: WHERE rBar, 4054 Chouteau Ave, 63110
COST COST: COST $25 per person
Includes beer, wine, appetizers , and FUN!
2nd 2nd Annual Annual Kick Kick Ball Ball Tournament
Tournament
WHEN WHEN: WHEN WHEN Saturday, July 26, 8:00 a.m—3:00 p.m.
WHERE WHERE: WHERE WHERE Fenton Park
More information coming soon.
For more information about FACC Junior Board, email -
faccjuniorboard@hotmail.com.
Nonprofit Org
US POSTAGE
PAID
St. LOUIS MO
PERMIT # 495
Emily Emily Bethel Bethel Sarah Sarah Hellin Hellin Elizabeth Elizabeth Mella Mella Sam Sam Schmiz
Schmiz
Margaret Margaret Margaret Dougherty Dougherty Carrie Carrie Mattingly Mattingly Jackie Olinger Christopher Christopher Wallace
Wallace
Lori Lori Gutleber Gutleber Laura Laura McDowell McDowell Kristen Kristen Reynolds
Reynolds