SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS

There are many great support organizations for foster families in and around the Atlanta area. Below are links to a few that we have experience with that provide supplies, events, and training opportunities.

TUTORING:

• Inspiring Together                                                                                                                                                                       Inspiring Together offers one-on-one tutoring and music lessons to foster youth. It's a 10 week program and will be offered via 40 minute zoom sessions. It’s all free! You can get more information and sign up here https://inspiringtogether.org/tutoring-sign-up/. For the guitar lessons, Metro Music Makers will provide a free guitar for temporary use during the extent of the program.

FULTON COUNTY:

• Foster Care Support Foundation
  Foster Care Support Foundation has clothing, supplies, toys, and more are available through this NPM Intersect Partner. Children must be past their 72-hour hearing before your appointment can occur, but you can request an appointment as soon as you take placement.

• Spruill Center For the Arts
  Spruill Center For the Arts offers scholarships for weekly art classes, school brea camps and summer camps for children and teens in foster care ages 5-18

• Atlanta Angels
  Atlanta Angels wraps community around children, youth, and families experiencing foster care. Dare to Dream volunteers have the opportunity to mentor a youth in care. Monthly service opportunities supporting foster families are available through their Love Box program. Know a foster family or teen that could use support? you can refer a teen here or family here.

• Perimeter Ballet
  Perimeter Ballet offers weekly ballet classes are being offered at Perimeter Church for foster children ages 4-18. Email RebeccaLaneBrown@gmail.com for more information on registration.

• Judy Hall Yoga
  Parent and Child yoga lessons are being offered for foster children and their foster parents. Contact Judy Hall at threehalls@comcast.net or call 678.575.9621 for more information.

• Arbor Cove Therapy
  Arbor Cove Therapy provide adults, adolescents and children attachment-based and trauma-informed care helping individuals and families chart a course of restoration and connection. They specialize in working with individuals who are adopted, along with birth and adoptive families, as they navigate common dynamics of adoption as well as challenges related to complex developmental trauma.

GWINNETT COUNTY:

• Because One Matters
  (BOMs) is committed to their mission of creating lasting memories for foster children in Georgia. They provide support to foster children by providing a duffle bag filled with essential items for their first couple of days in foster care. They celebrate foster kids birthday’s by hosting birthday parties with the gifts and entertainment and they also provide a full course meal and holiday decorations & gifts to youths aging out of foster care during Thanksgiving and Christmas. To request a duffle bag, foster parents can contact them via email or text at info@becauseonematters.org or 678-752-1049. Bags are delivered directly to foster parents and are only available to children entering foster care for the first time. You can learn more about them on their website at www.becauseonematters.org.

• Jennifer Mejias-Marriage and Family Therapist
  Jennifer is located in Lawrenceville at Bright Path and specializes in trauma, sexual abuse and adoption. She is trained in Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Attachment Regulation and Competency (ARC). She is in the process of being credited to accept Amerigroup. Contact Jennifer Mejias at jennifermejias@brightpathcc.com or at 404-913-6481.

FORSYTH COUNTY:

• LinderKids and CrossFit Dynamo                                                                                                                                                These two organizations have partnered together to bring strength, community and hope to foster teens in the Forsyth County area. Foster teens between the ages of 12 and 18 (must be in middle or high school) are invited to experience fitness through CrossFit in a community of their peers, with mentors and role models. The first month is at no cost and if you and your child find this amazing program to be a good fit, then your child can receive a LinderKids scholarship. Teens accepted into the LinderKids program will participate in CrossFit Dynamo’s Teen program at no cost to the child or the host family. In return for the scholarship, LinderKids are expected to maintain their grades and give back through community service. Contact karl@thefunderburgs.com for more info or call 678-642-8046 to register.

• Supporting Adoption and Foster Families Together (SAFFT)                                                                                                SAFFT has been providing supportive services to struggling families, abused and neglected children as well as foster/adoptive families since 2009. SAFFT’s mission: to protect children in crisis, rebuild their broken families, and empower all caregivers. Through 3 family crisis centers located in Cumming, Gainesville and Rome, SAFFT’s array of supportive family programs and services for both biological families and caregivers (foster & adoptive parents). Services for biological families include: family trauma informed therapy, supervised visitations for children & families; case management, transportation assistance; parent coaching/education/mentoring services (i.e., Life Skills Classes, Financial Coaching, Budgeting, Housing Support); and drug screening. Resources for foster and adoptive families include: sports scholarships & emergency aid, family therapy services (child and foster parent), support group meetings and trainings, critical resources to foster, and monthly Parent Night Out events. Please contact SAFFT at info@safft.org or visit their website at www.safft.org.

• Martha’s Court “Introduction to Tennis”                                                                                                                                  Lessons are being offered for foster children ages 5 – 18 and the first month (1x/wk) will be at no charge. This offer is on a first come first serve basis. Tennis lessons will be offered in Alpharetta, Cumming, Johns Creek, Suwanee, and Sugar Hill. Signing up as a group is preferable (2 – 6 kids). For more info, contact Martha Gjurich at 770.866.4020 or email marthagjurich@yahoo.com. Feel free to check out Martha’s Court on Facebook.

• Helping Healing Hearts                                                                                                                                                                    This class is held at New Leaf Counseling and Recovery in Cumming, Georgia and lasts for 10 weeks. Topics include victim’s rights, process of disclosure, problem solving, stress reduction, grieving, and more. Class meets on Mondays at 5:00 p.m. and costs $25 per person or $40 per couple. Call 678-648-6021 for the next available group.

• Fostering Hope Support Group                                                                                                                                                Fostering Hope Support Group is for foster and adoptive families in the Forsyth County area and will be held the first Thursday of every month at The Vine Church in Cumming, Georgia. For more information, contact Jessica Torres (678.205.7016) or Janet Turnure (425.281.9082)

CHEROKEE COUNTY:

• The Children’s Haven                                                                                                                                                                     Located in Canton, The Children’s Haven provides resources to foster parents and children including trainings, clothing, infant and toddler items, and grief support. For more information, email Deidre Holland at deidre@cherokeechildrenshaven.org.

• THE HUDDLE                                                                                                                                                                                          A gathering of foster and adoptive dads. WeFoster at First Baptist Church of Woodstock would love to invite any and all foster and adoptive dads to THE HUDDLE which meets every other month. THE HUDDLE includes a steak dinner, games, Dad discussion groups, and typically 2 hours of CE credit. For more information please email Wefoster@fbcw.net.

 STATEWIDE:

• AMPED Kids Foundation                                                                                                                                                            AMPED Kids Foundation’s mission is to positively impact the lives of foster children by providing access to free private music instruction and other music programs throughout Georgia. Check out their website for more information.

YOUNG ADULTS:

• EMBARK Georgia                                                                                                                                                                       EMBARK Georgia is a statewide network of support for youth who have experienced foster care and/or homelessness and are enrolled or interested in attending any postsecondary educational institution in Georgia.

• Connections Homes                                                                                                                                                             Connections Homes connects families as walking partners to young adults (ages 18-24) who have experienced homelessness or foster care.

• Dare to be Xtreme                                                                                                                                                                          Dare to be Xtreme is a periodic Saturday environment sponsored by KidS3 designed to equip teens (ages 14-18) in foster care with the tools needed for success. Sessions include self-care/daily living, team-building, careers/education, work/study life, and finances.