News

December 18, 2017

Northern Rivers Welcomes Hope the Foster Care Bear

Give Hope a Home, the 19-county foster parent recruitment campaign conducted by Northern Rivers Family of Services, today welcomed Hope the Foster Care Bear to assist the organization in finding high-quality foster parents who want to become certified and provide stable, supportive homes for local abused and neglected children.

Hope will be featured in the organization’s social media campaign and will appear year-round with Northern Rivers foster parent Homefinders at community events throughout the region.

“We’re excited about Hope joining our team,” said Bill Marszalek, executive program director for foster care at Northern Rivers. “When our homefinders are out in the community, Hope will welcome children and families to come say hello, talk to us and learn about the many ways they could change a child’s life.”

The program, administered through Northern Rivers member agencies Northeast Parent & Child Society and Parsons Child & Family Center, offers a multitude of foster parenting options, ranging from hourly and overnight respite programs to full-time foster care. Northern Rivers provides the training and support and does its best to match each foster parent with the right child. It also serves as a support system to assist foster parents every step of the way.

Born in the greater Capital Region, Hope was recently forced to leave home due to environmental factors. Hope is a passionate advocate for children in foster care, and will travel between offices and community events in Albany, Endwell, Hudson, Johnstown, Oneonta, Queensbury, and Schenectady to help find loving foster homes.

To learn more about how to become a certified foster parent, call 1-844-855-CARE or visit GiveHopeAHomeNY.org.

To follow the travels of Hope the Foster Care Bear, visit www.facebook.com/givehopeahome.