Five foster care appreciation ideas
There are over 700,000 social workers in the United States. These dedicated and compassionate individuals work hard to help children in need and foster youth. It's often a tough job, so showing appreciation can mean so much.
Additionally, foster system kids rely on individuals who step up to become foster parents, providing safe and stable homes. In 2020, there was a decline in licensed foster homes, dropping to 214,421. Now more than ever, foster youth need caretakers to become parents.
Do you want to show your support for a social worker or foster parent? If so, these foster care appreciation ideas are an excellent place to start. Here are just five foster care appreciation ideas you may consider when you are showing your care.
Send Flowers
Flowers make a wonderful appreciation gift and can brighten someone's day. The floral gifting market is a $17.02 billion industry. Flowers are often gifted on holidays or birthdays, but it is common to give them as gifts of appreciation to workers, friends, and community members.
In short, flowers are a universal gift that shows support and admiration!
Give a foster mother a bouquet on Mother's Day to show you appreciate the love she shows. If you're a foster parent yourself, you and your child can work together to pick a selection of blooms and even write a little note.
Not sure where to start? Here are some common varieties that express gratitude using the language of flowers.
- Roses - pink or peach
- Hydrangea - blue or pink
- Prayer plant
- Lilies - yellow
Any flowers will likely brighten someone's day, so don't worry too much about hidden meanings.
Write a Thank You Note
A heartfelt thank you note goes a long way in showing appreciation. Whether you buy a card or write a letter, it shows that you're taking time to recognize the hard work of the foster parents and social workers fighting to help children in need.
Even a few sincere words can make a significant impact. However, if you feel like getting more personal, you can include a story or example of how this individual changed your life or set an example that inspired you. If you're a foster parent, you might write about some of the places you've gone together, the activities you do as a family, and the memories you've created.
This foster care appreciation idea costs nothing but makes a substantial positive impact. You can also attach a personal note to a gift, such as a bouquet or a gift basket.
Share Success Stories
Sometimes, we're so caught up in our work that we don't realize how much of a positive impact we've had on the lives of others. Now is a great time to show your appreciation for those hard workers and foster parents, so they can realize the difference they're making.
Nothing can inspire someone like a success story, and there are tons of amazing stories!
If you're a foster parent, show your appreciation for social workers by telling them your own success story. It can brighten their day to see that their work does make a difference in the world.
If you want to help, watch videos or read stories from foster youth and the parents that care for them. Share those stories on social media or write a blog post on them.
The more people see their lives changed for, the better, the more they'll want to help. It can encourage more people to become foster parents, donate, volunteer, or spread the word.
Make a Donation
May is National Foster Care Awareness Month. You might want to show support by donating to the cause.
May being foster care appreciation month makes it an excellent time to acknowledge the professionals and families working hard to help foster care children find permanent homes. Donating even a little can go a long way, and you can make even more of a difference by sharing on social media and asking friends and family to donate.
Many charities support foster care. You can also volunteer your time, help coach foster youth, become a foster parent, or adopt.
Reach out to a charity to see if they need anything in particular. Make a one-time donation or set up a recurring donation to continue to support children in the system. It all helps!
Host an Appreciation Event
If you have the budget for it, you can host an appreciation event, such as a dinner at a hotel. This foster care appreciation idea allows you to show gratitude and celebrate foster parents in your area.
You might have a formal lunch or dinner, followed by speakers, gifts, awards, and more. Perhaps you can have a foster parent with many years of service or a member of the community talk about how foster care is making a positive difference.
Here are some gift ideas to hand out during the event:
- Gift cards
- Educational classes
- Gift baskets
- Flowers
- coffee mug
- Baked goods
- Adoption gifts are always appreciated
- Public shoutouts in newsletters or on social media
- Charity Donations in their name
- Personalized thank you notes
- throwing a baby shower day
- giving foster moms' mother's days gifts and cards to foster parents
- Foster fathers also love a fathers day card
These events create an excellent opportunity to show gratitude for those helping the lives of children that need a home. All these gifts for foster and adoptive parents are fantastic to raise the spirits of friends and family that do so much to help the children in foster care.
If you wish to give time, why not volunteer to do respite care for a foster family and adoptive parents? This gift of your time is valuable to the child's welfare and the welfare of all foster parents.
Try These Foster Care Appreciation Ideas
During May and all year long, you can make someone's day by showing gratitude. Try these foster care appreciation ideas to make a difference and support the social workers and foster families' helping youth in need.
If you're ready to take your support one step further, consider becoming a foster parent. You can learn more about it by contacting our advocate today. These ideas are not just for national foster care month (May) or adoption day but every day.