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Queen of Peace Catholic Parish
Salem, Oregon |
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Foster Parents Night Out
General Information Foster Parents’ Night Out (FPNO) is an outreach ministry at Queen of Peace Church in cooperation with the Department of Human Services (DHS). FPNO is held one Saturday/month (or as often as our church calendar allows), October through May, from 4:00 to 8:00 pm. The program is open to select foster families in the 97302 zip code area and provided free of charge. The evening begins with registration followed by snacks, organized games, crafts, and activities for all ages, followed by dinner and other special events. Volunteers serve in a variety of capacities from preparing meals, playing with kids, to snuggling babies! We need your help in getting the FNPO program off to a successful start!
How FPNO got started at Queen of Peace: This ministry began in response to Salem’s ongoing meth crisis and the tragic consequences it brings to children in our neighborhoods. Each month dozens of children are taken into protective custody by the state because their families are drug affected. The foster care system is literally bursting at the seams with more children than there are foster parents to care for them. The result - current foster parents are increasing the number of children in their care, making a tough job even tougher. Children who come into foster care have suffered trauma from abuse and neglect and need adults they can count on to help them heal. They are, quite simply, the “orphans” of our community and we believe we are called by Christ to help meet their needs. The purpose of the ministry is two-fold: 1) To provide foster parents one evening each month to have a break and enjoy some time to care for themselves while we care for their children. We hope that by offering meaningful support we can help Salem retain the foster parents currently caring for its children. 2) To provide foster children the opportunity to have healthy relationships with other adults who care for them in a safe, nurturing environment. The kids come together for an evening of fun in God’s house where God’s love is shared with them through our words and actions. Becoming involved is simple: FPNO volunteers are involved in a variety of activities each month. They can choose what areas of service fit them best and are welcome to participate as their schedules allow from month to month. Volunteers are required to: complete registration and background check form and attend two training sessions (Safe environment training-identification and prevention of child abuse and a DHS volunteer orientation training). The registration form helps us know how to contact you and in what ways you are interested in participating as a FNPO volunteer. The background check form and safe environment training session is a requirement of the Archdiocese of Portland to ensure the safety of the children. The DHS session offers basic information about the distinct needs of foster children and how to ensure the physical and emotional safety of each child under our care. See below for training dates. FNPO Volunteer Requirements: All volunteers are required to complete the following prior to beginning ministry service:
DHS Volunteer Training Session: All volunteers 18 years of age and older are required to attend ONE of the following training sessions before beginning volunteer ministry:
FPNO Volunteer Options:
Team Leaders: Leaders are needed to head up each of the above teams. The leader will be the primary contact person for the team and assume leadership in planning and organizing activities for the FNPO session. Co-leaders would be a great way to share leadership responsibilities! T-Shirts: We plan to have t-shirts available for volunteers to wear during the FNPO session. The registration form offers a place to indicate your desired size of shirt. FNPO is supported by the generous contributions of our parish community. Donations are welcome, but not required, to assist in covering the cost of the background checks at $12/every 3 years and the t-shirts, $6/shirt. Volunteers meet at 3:30pm prior to the session in the gathering area to pray and receive information about the evening’s activities. Contact Information: We will use email as our primary contact source, so please keep us current on changes in email addresses. Questions? Please contact Cheri Posedel, 503-364-7202, ext. 15; cheri@qpsalem.org or Tricia Boyle, 503-364-7202, ext. 17; tricia@qpsalem.org Click on the form and format that you would like to download and
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