Details

What: “Soup’s On,” a fundraiser for foster care recruitment and retention

When: 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26

Where: Davis Community Church Fellowship Hall, 421 D St.

Tickets: $25 general, $15 students, free for children 10 and under

Info: [email protected] or (530) 220-3092

Few are unaffected by stories of children whose home lives are unstable — the stories of children who, by no fault of their own, are placed in foster care. Most feel there is little they can do to help because they are not in a position to bring a foster child into their lives.

Yolo County Supervisor Don Saylor, however, recognizes that anyone can help local foster children by supporting the recruitment and training of new, local foster families who are in a position to parent a foster child.

Saylor’s annual fundraising event, “Soup’s On,” will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, at the Davis Community Church Fellowship Hall, 421 D St. in downtown Davis. The event will benefit the nonprofit Woodland Community College Foster and Kinship Care and Education Fund, coordinated by Cherie Schroeder, Yolo County foster care recruitment and retention coordinator and instructional specialist at the college.

Schroeder’s group recruits, trains and supports local foster families who provide much-needed safe havens and care for children who temporarily or permanently cannot live safely with their families.

“Our community’s children deserve the best we can provide,” Saylor said in a news release. “We need to help find and train more local families who can host, or even adopt, youth in foster care.

“Being removed from your family is hard,” he added, “and even if we cannot serve as foster parents, there are many other ways each of us can provide support.”

The two programs in particular that Saylor hopes to strengthen with additional funding are the Essential Placement Shopping, which purchases necessities for kids who leave homes with the basics, and Connect to Success, a series of workshops to give foster youths skills to prepare them for college.

As of April 2010, Yolo County had 317 children in foster care. There are 84 Yolo County-licensed foster homes, with an equal number in Davis, Woodland and West Sacramento. At any one time, fewer than half of local foster children are placed with local families.

“We just do not have enough local foster homes to accommodate the need,” Schroeder said in a news release. “There are many misconceptions about the children who come into care and also about our foster parents.

“We have wonderful kids — beautiful kids — that come into foster care and we have a fantastic group of local caregivers that are happy to share their personal foster and foster-to-adoption journeys.”

More than 20 years ago, Hiedi Andersen was placed into protective custody. Now, she and her husband Ed are kinship, foster and adoptive parents.

“Our two oldest daughters came to us as kinship placements when my brother failed to protect them,” Hiedi said. “Amanda and Kaylie are now our legal children through adoption.”

As Yolo County licensed foster parents, the Andersen family also has cared for several babies and young children on a short-term basis. One newborn they picked up at the hospital, Lily, became a permanent member of the family on March 11, 2008, at the age of 16 months.

“I know that foster parents change lives, and I also know that Ed and I are making a difference to each of the children that come through our front door, whether they stay for a week or as permanent member of our family,” Hiedi said. “Kids like me need good parents and a safe, loving home.”

Tickets for “Soup’s On” are $25 (suggested donation), payable at the door. Students are $15 and children under 10 are free.

Neon Lite, a favorite local band, will perform, along with Davis resident David Hafter. There will be a silent auction as well.

“Last year, the event raised over $22,000 for Suicide Prevention,” Saylor said. “I hope this year’s event will be an even bigger success.”

Saylor started Soup’s On in 2004 as campaign fundraising event. Four years ago, he shifted the purpose of this annual event to a fundraiser to support the work of local nonprofits.

The event is run entirely by volunteers. Dozens of community members prepare home-made soup for the event, and attendees have the opportunity to enjoy any and all soups, along with local wine, beer, salad and baked goods.

Recipe books, featuring the soups at the event, are given to all dinner guests.

Volunteers, sponsors and donors for the silent auction are still needed. Email [email protected], or call (530) 220-3092.

For more information about foster care or adoption from foster care, contact Schroeder at (530) 574-1964 or [email protected].

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Hiedi Andersen cuddles daughter Lily on adoption day in 2008. Courtesy photo

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