As we step into the second month of the year, February unfolds before us like a canvas waiting to be painted with the vibrant hues of hope, love, and resilience. In the midst of winter's embrace, there's an undeniable sense of magic in the air, as if the world is caught in a gentle dance between the chill of the past and the warmth of what lies ahead.
Embrace the fleeting days of February with an open heart and a spirit ready to embrace change. This month, let the beauty of contrasts inspire you — the crisp winter mornings that make way for the promise of spring, the moments of solitude that blossom into connections with loved ones, and the quiet reflection that sparks personal growth.
In the tapestry of time, February weaves threads of celebration and cultural richness. Whether you find joy in the festivities of Chinese New Year, the sweetness of Valentine's Day, or the reflective period of Lent, take a moment to appreciate the diversity of traditions that color our lives. Let the tapestry of cultures and celebrations remind you of the interconnectedness that makes our world a beautiful mosaic.
As we navigate through the ups and downs of life, let February be a reminder that change is inevitable, but it brings with it the potential for growth and renewal. Like the bulbs patiently waiting beneath the frost, trust that your dreams and aspirations are gathering strength, ready to burst forth when the time is right.
In this month of love, extend kindness not only to others but also to yourself. Embrace self-love as a powerful force that fuels your journey, allowing you to shine even in the coldest of moments. Remember, just as February is brief yet impactful, so are the moments that shape our lives.
May this month be a chapter of your story filled with courage, love, and the belief that, like nature awakening from its winter slumber, you too are on the cusp of something beautiful. Embrace February with open arms, and let its unique energy propel you toward the brighter days that lie ahead.
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Learn click below to learn more about our post permanency program, that supports families who have finalized an adoption or have been granted guardianship:
Thriving After
"Here to support your family's journey AFTER adoption or legal guardianship!"
Has your family adopted a child that was placed into your home in years past? Please call our front office to get referred into our program! 702-546-9988
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Thriving After Park Meetups
*These are only for families who are members of our Thriving After
Adoption & Guardianship Program.
Not sure if you are?
Please call 702-546-9988 and ask!
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BLOG:
"Our Family Journey"
The Highs and Lows of Everyday Life as a Kinship Caregiver, Guardian or Adoptive Parent
February's Submission:
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"Life as I knew it took a sudden turn when my sister passed away, leaving behind three beautiful kids. Faced with the choice of letting them enter the foster care system or taking on the responsibility myself, I chose the latter, setting the stage for a journey I never anticipated.
Overnight, I transitioned from a carefree bachelor to a single parent, balancing the demands of work with the newfound responsibilities of parenthood. It wasn't easy, but my community played a pivotal role, providing the support needed for the kids to find stability and love in their new home.
Understanding the profound grief my nieces and nephew were experiencing, I made it a priority to foster open communication and create new, positive memories. Celebrating their small victories - be it a good grade or a little triumph in their daily lives - became integral to our collective healing process.
As time unfolded, an unbreakable bond formed between us. Beyond the role of a guardian, I became a constant in their lives - a source of love, support, and stability. Our journey is a testament to the power of love in overcoming life's unexpected challenges.
In sharing my story, I hope to shed light on the strength that emerges when love becomes the driving force in the face of adversity. Life may throw unexpected challenges our way, but it's the choices we make in those moments that define our journey. Here's to embracing love, navigating grief, and building unbreakable bonds."
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We Want to Hear Your Story!
Submit your own mini-blog post about the highs and lows of everyday life as a caregiver! This means YOU. Whether you are a kinship foster caregiver, a legal guardian or have adopted out of foster care, this space is for you to share with us all. Your voice and your experiences are invaluable and we want to hear from each other. Share your journey with us here.
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CHILD & YOUTH INTERVENTIONS: |
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A look ahead at this month for our
Child & Youth Intervention Programming:
Tuesday, February 13: Infant/Toddler Day 12 PM - 4 PM
Our next session of Cub & Tots starts on February 14th from 10am-1pm.
Week 1: 2/14/2024 - 2/16/2024
Week 2: 2/21/2024 - 2/23/2024
Week 3: 2/28/2024 - 3/1/2024
Week 4: 3/6/2024 - 3/8/2024
If you'd like to learn more about our other childcare events or how to sign up for them, email Aine@fosterkinship.org
or click HERE to view our calendar!
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HAVE FUN WITH FOOD
by FK Staff Member - Christine
TEACHING KIDS THROUGH PREPARING SNACKS
Getting kids to help prepare healthy snacks, not only encourages them to be more adventurous eaters but can help young kids develop their fine motor skills, math skills, language skills and so much more.
February Feature:
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CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUPS: |
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Join us every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 12 noon-1pm inside our Nevada Kinship Caregivers Facebook group for a live google meet link called Coffee & Chat!
(Look for the link to be posted fresh each time in the Facebook group page)
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Statewide Virtual Support For ALL Caregivers: Traditional (Birth), Kinship, Foster, Guardianship and Adoptive Parents |
The Connected Caregiver -
February 1st
(PW: kinship)
Special February Guest: Gabriela Sanchez from Candelen. To learn more about Candelen, you can visit: https://candelen.org/
Monthly on the first Thursday, from 6pm to 7pm
Join in conversation as we talk about connections: How are we connecting ourselves into a healthy support system and services in our community?
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In Person Support For All Kinship families, Guardianship families and Adoptive Families
*Henderson*
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Caregiver 2 Caregiver In Person Support Group -
February 8th
Monthly on the second Thursday, from 6pm to 7:30pm
There is no supervised childcare but feel free to allow your children to come and play at the connected playground area. Snacks and refreshments will be served.
Whitney Ranch Recreation Center
1575 Galleria Dr, Henderson, NV 89014
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In Person Support For All Kinship families, Guardianship families and Adoptive Families
*Las Vegas*
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In Person Support Group @Canyon Ridge -
February 13th
Location: Info Center @
Canyon Ridge Christian Church - 6200 W Lone Mountain Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89130
Monthly on the second Tuesday, from 6-7:30pm
Dinner for adults
and free Childcare are provided
Laugh, cry, learn and lean on each other as we share the joys and challenges of parenting. Kinship caregivers, guardianship families and adoptive families are all welcome!
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VIRTUAL Support For All Kinship families, Guardianship families and Adoptive Families |
Announcing Foster Kinship's Family Reunification Program! FAMILY FORWARD!
Family Forward offers this
Peer Parent Support Group -
February 17th
This group is for parents who are working towards reunification and family stabilization.
Monthly on the third Saturday of each month, from 2-3:30pm
Join our Peer Parent Support Group, a safe space to make connections, gain peer support, gain strength and empowerment, receive guidance and access to resources to continue to build community.
To be referred into this program, or to refer a loved one, please contact your Family Advocate or call 702-546-9988.
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Apoyo en persona para todas las familias de parentesco, familias de tutela y familias adoptivas
Grupo de Apoyo
en Español para Cuidadores Parentesco (Parientes)
En persona el 19 de Febrero
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Cada tercer martes del mes de 1 a 2pm nos reuniremos
Únete a Sandy y conéctate con una comunidad de personas que atraviesan situaciones similares.
Foster Kinship
8691 West Sahara Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89117
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VIRTUAL Support For All Kinship families, Guardianship families and Adoptive Families |
Managing Difficult Behaviors Support Group -
February 27th
(PW: kinship)
Monthly on the fourth Tuesday, from 6-7:30pm
Join TBRI® practitioner, Michelle and our two Thriving After Family Advocates - as they host this virtual support group, sharing trauma-informed strategies and best approaches to help us as caregivers better manage difficult behaviors.
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THE KINSHIP TRAINING INSTITUTE: |
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Through the TBRI® Lens
by Michelle Rupe
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In this episode, we dive into the world of screen time use and the importance of setting limits and boundaries with our children. From navigating the challenges of digital distractions to fostering healthy habits, we'll explore practical strategies for finding balance in an increasingly tech-driven world.
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Family Activity 2024 -
Create a Time Capsule
Something that will become extra meaningful down the line is creating a time capsule of this year. Take the time to collect all kinds of items in a time capsule for your family to look back on when these childhood days are a mere memory.
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Commit to making memories this year any way you know how. The easiest way to document the passage of a significant year in your family’s life is to build a keepsake time capsule. Creating your own time capsule doesn’t have to be difficult, time-consuming, or expensive (and you shouldn't even feel hard-pressed to bury it in your backyard). Use your time capsule to document history, personal accomplishments and small details of memories that will otherwise certainly fade with time.
Pack mementos away in a shoebox in the back of a closet for future discovery, or within a sealed container in your own backyard if you know you'll remember where it was buried. You can also store those memories in a display you can see every day by using a shadowbox picture frame, or enclose them in a pretty wooden box stored on a bookshelf. Whichever way you can manage to capture this time in our lives, revisiting that time capsule in the future will bring you — and your family — right back into this moment.
Materials for a time capsule:
- An airtight plastic box
- Plastic garbage bags or resealable bags
- Old thermoses, school lunch containers, or even that dented metal water bottle that you no longer carry around; if the seal is good, it'll be durable underground but you may still want to put items in a sealed plastic bag
- Wooden boxes, for shelf or closet storage
- Shadowbox picture frames
Things to consider adding to your time capsule:
- A USB drive with videos and photos
- Records of virtual learning: letters from teachers, copies of significant school assignments, your kids’ writing samples, drawings, or hey, maybe just the awesome Piggy and Elephant sketch your kid produced after a lunchtime session with Mo Willems
- Examples of drawings you hung in your window; it’s not every day you have banners in your windows or display hand-drawn rainbows for community support
- Mementos from your birthday, especially if it was a memorable event or a milestone birthday.
- A list of the home improvement projects you tackled over the summer
- Your favorite puzzle
- A photo of your family’s porch portrait
- A bullet journal, or a few important pages torn from your everyday journal
- Newspaper
- A detailed outline of your best homemade bread recipe
- Handprints made with finger paints
Simply put, add anything you think might be interesting to remember, whether personal, related to our circumstances, or mementos that capture what your home and family look like right here, right now. Build it, display it, bury it with a marker, and then set a calendar reminder to open it up with your loved ones on a date well in the future.
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Ever heard of Geocaching?
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Geocaching is a type of global treasure hunt of people looking for caches, or hidden stashes of objects.
Best of all it's FREE and fun for ALL AGES and it's EVERYWHERE you are!
Watch this video to learn more and then download the app, create an account and GO HAVE FAMILY FUN!
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Ever heard of Little Free Library?
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Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Our mission is to be a catalyst for building community, inspiring readers, and expanding book access for all through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Library book-exchange boxes.
Our vision is a Little Free Library in every community and a book for every reader. We believe all people are empowered when the opportunity to discover a personally relevant book to read is not limited by time, space, or privilege.
Want to find Little Free Libraries near you? Get the Little Free Library mobile app (it’s free)! Get it in the App Store for iOS devices or the Google Play Store for Android devices.
The Little Free Library app makes it easy to find little library locations near you. You can get directions, create routes, save your favorites, and track the libraries you visit.
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Don't forget to visit our local libraries during all year long! They have AMAZING resources! FREE!
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MARCIE'S HEART DONATION CENTER: |
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Shop the Caregivers' Corner Market
At the Caregivers' Corner Market in Marcie's Heart Donation Center, kinship caregivers can shop monthly for teen and adult clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories, books, gently used toys, and seasonal and specialty items.
Everything is free, and there is no limit. Items provided for kinship families at the Market can not be sold. Kinship families must have an account with Foster Kinship and have signed the Market Consent form to shop. No children allowed, unless they can be held in your arms, or they are 13 and over.
Shopping at Marcie's Heart Caregiver Market is
now back open! Secure your shopping appointment by clicking here!
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FROM CCSD:
Here is a new Free mental health resource, provided through a grant for CCSD, for you to use as parents/guardians:
CCSD understands that mental health concerns can significantly impact academic achievement, social relationships, and the overall well-being of a child.
Please utilize the free access to resources focusing on mental health challenges through the website ParentGuidance.org
This new resource includes video courses on demand covering difficult parenting topics. It also offers individualized coaching for any parent/guardian in CCSD and weekly interactive webinars. Topics range from dealing with your child’s anxiety, emotional regulation, experiences with bullying, protecting your child on social media, and what parents/guardians need to know about suicide prevention.
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Hannah's Closet North - Schedule posted on their Facebook page
Hannah's Closet South - Appointments Required (find on website)
Klothes 4 Kids - Clothing resource for children in foster care
Project 150 - Programs and Resources for teens (high school ID required)
Nevada PEP - Nevada's Statewide Parent Training & Info Center for Families who have Children with Disabilities
Boys Town
The Harbor
Families and youth in need of counseling, tutoring and other support services over the summer are reminded the Harbor juvenile assessment program is here to help.
The Harbor has five locations in the Las #Vegas Valley with hours 8am to 10pm daily to assist families coping with problem behavior and other concerns. Appointments can be made by calling the program’s main number at (702) 455-6912. Walk-ins are accepted. Locations and more information about the program are listed on its website at www.theharborlv.com.
The Ombudsman
What exactly does the Ombudsman do?
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Works as an impartial and independent fact finder in reviewing and resolving complaints related to the Family Services and Social Service Departments.
- Click here to access complain form.
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Works as an impartial and independent fact finder in reviewing and resolving complaints related to the Family Services and Social Service departments;
- Explains to clients how department policies, procedures and program rules and regulations work;
- Educates and provides information on how to navigate the local child welfare and social service systems;
- Provides clients with referrals to other resource offices and services in the community; and
- Facilitates complaint resolution between departments and clients.
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Clark County School District:
Safe-Voice: 1-833-216-SAFE (7233) for anonymous reporting
CCSD Police: 702-799-5411
Mobile Crisis Response Team: 702-486-7865
New Tutoring Service to all K-12 CCSD Students
A new district-wide initiative to provide unlimited, 24/7 virtual tutoring and academic support to approximately 300,000 students in the District.
CCSD recently partnered with Paper, which works with school districts nationwide to provide 1:1 instructional support across more than 200 subject areas in English, Spanish, French, and Mandarin. Paper’s staff of highly trained, background-checked tutors empower students to achieve success with equitable access to academic support. CCSD is funding the Paper partnership using ESSER funds, so the service is free to all K-12 students and families. Student access via their Clever account.
Las Vegas Parks and Recreation Classes
Henderson Parks and Recreation Classes
North Las Vegas Parks and Recreation Classes
Boys and Girls Club
YMCA
Imagination Station Early Learning Centers
- 24/7 childcare center with a strong commitment to Early Childhood Education and Quality Care.
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We serve local families with a need for daytime, overnight, weekend, or drop-in childcare. We care for infants from 6 weeks of age, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children through age 12.
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Contact by email: info@imstation247.com or visit online by clicking HERE.
Locations:
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2488 E. Russell Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89120
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3799 S. Las Vegas BLVD.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
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4185 Vegas Valley Dr.
Las Vegas, NV 89121
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1310 W. Warm Springs Rd.
Henderson, NV 89014
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2750 S. Rancho Dr.
Las Vegas, NV 89102
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Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of the kids you are caring for and other kinship families?
Imagine having the power to advocate for their needs and help shape policies that directly impact their future ! YOU DO!
Click the link below (or scan the QR code on the picture) to join the Kinship Advocacy Network and let's transform lives, one advocacy step at a time!
Flyer below:
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Join Foster Change!
Membership is now available FOR FREE to all families that are working with Nevada state child welfare, including Clark County, Washoe County and Rural regions, as licensed caregivers, including post permanency families.
Contact us today to become a member or to learn more!
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This list is peer-built and includes peer feedback for their experiences with all child service providers. For example, the list may include: Medical, Therapy, Dental, Vision, Residential Treatment, Specialists, Childcare Centers that accept children with Higher Level Needs, etc.
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How to Follow Foster Kinship &
Ways to Give Back:
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Advocate locally by engaging in social media:
Visit, Follow, and Interact with Foster Kinship on our social media pages:
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Foster Kinship Merch Store |
Want to have an awesome t-shirt and give back at the same time? Click Here to Visit the Foster Kinship Merch Shop:
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SUSPECT CHILD ABUSE or NEGLECT? |
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If someone is having thoughts of self-harm,
please call:
National Suicide Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
or
Nevada Crisis Line: 775-784-8090
OR
CALL or TEXT 988
Please call 911 for an immediate emergency situation.
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