The Kern County Department of Human Services is partnering with a new nonprofit to help the foster care children in Bakersfield.
COUNTY HELPING FOSTERCARE CHILDREN HERE INBAKERSFIELD.BUT AS 23ABC'S KALLYN HOBMANNSHOWS US.
MORE COMMUNITYHELP IS NEEDED.ALLISON MCCLAIN IS THE PRESIDENTOF BAKERSFIELD ANGELS.
A LOCALCHAPTER OF THE NONPROFIT.NATIONAL ANGELS.ON THEIR WEBSITE... NATIONALANGELS SAYS THEIRMISSION IS TO WALK ALONGSIDECHILDREN IN THE FOSTER CARESYSTEM BY OFFERING CONSISTENTSUPPORT."THAT'S THE THING THESE KIDDOSLACK ISJUST CONSISTENT ADULTS IN THEIRLIVES THAT SAY, I SEE YOU, YOUMATTER, YOU CANMAKE A DIFFERENCE.
YOU HAVE APURPOSE IN THIS LIFE."HUMAN SERVICES SPOKESPERSON JANASLAGLE SAYS THE FOSTER CARESYSTEM IN BAKERSFIELD IS DOINGWELL.SHE TELLS 23ABC THE FOSTER YOUTHGRADUATION RATEIN KERN COUNTY IS 68.2%...ALMOST 10% ABOVE CALIFORNIA'SPERCENTAGE RATE.BUT SHE ALSO SAYS THAT NUMBERCAN ALWAYS BEHIGHER..AND SOMETIMES THE KIDSJUST NEED EXTRAENCOURAGEMENT."ALTHOUGH FOSTER PARENTS AREWONDERFUL AND LOVE THEM AND CAREFOR THEM, SOMETIMES THEYNEED SOMEBODY OUTSIDE OF THATREALM TO JUST ENCOURAGE THEM,AND I THINK THAT IS A HUGE NEED.THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST NEEDTHAT ISEE."THAT'S WHERE BAKERSFIELD ANGELSCOMES IN."BAKERSFIELD ANGELS IS COMING TOCOMEALONGSIDE THOSE THAT ARE ALREADYIN THE TRENCHES.
YOU KNOWTHEY'RE DOING THE HARD WORK ANDWE'RE JUST SAYING, HEY, WE'REHERE TO FILL IN THE GAPS.WHAT NEEDS DO YOU SEE AND WEJUST WANT TO MEET THEM."VOLUNTEERS ARE PAIRED WITH AFOSTER KID TO HELP THEM USED-H-S'S RESOURCES ...LIKECLASSES ON BUILDINGRESUMES.
APPLYING TO JOBS.
OROPENING A BANKACCOUNT."THAT'S WHAT WE SEE AS HELPINGKIDS BEMORE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE, ISHAVING PEOPLE TO WALK THEMTHROUGH THEDIFFICULTIES AND THE CHALLENGESAND THE SUCCESSES." BAKERSFIELDANGELS LAUNCHES NEXT MONTH.
BUTMCCLAIN SAYS NOW IS THE TIME FORVOLUNTEERS TO SIGN UP.VOLUNTEERS THAT WILL BE PUSHINGFOSTER KIDS IN THE RIGHTDIRECTION."JUST LIKE A PARENT WHO HAS TOPRODTHEIR KID TO SIGN UP FOR THESAT, YOU'RE JUST BEING THATPERSON SAYING HEY, HERE ARE THERESOURCES.
LET'S GET YOU THERE."MCCLAIN SAYS YOU DON'T NEED ANYEXPERIENCE TO BECOME AMENTOR.
THE NONPROFIT WILL GIVEYOU PLENTY OF TRAINING SOYOU'RE READY TO HELP THE FOSTERKID YOU'RE PAIRED WITH.
IF YOUWANT TO SIGN UP.
WE WILL HAVETHEIR EMAIL ADDRESS ATTURN TO 23 DOT COM.
CASA of Kern County says they need volunteers now more than ever. With COVID-19 keeping everyone at home, it's harder to keep an..
