Newsletter 1

Greetings!  Welcome to our first quarterly   newsletter!  Having a newsletter is   something that I have wanted to get going for a while, but have not made the   time to do so.  With the hiring of   Alyssa Beach as Office Manager/Volunteer Coordinator, I finally have time to   get this done!  We hired Alyssa at the end of January and she has been an EXCELLENT   addition to our team!  She is   organized, bubbly and a hard worker. If you volunteer with us, you have probably met her already, but if   not, take the time to meet her when you can!    

We have already had a packed  year and are only 3 months in.  We have   had teenage volunteers from youth groups at FBC Wake Village, FBC Hooks, Myrtle Springs, Crossview, and Hooks High School.  We have had sock donations from Trice   Elementary, backpack donations from Redwater High School, jeans donations   from Heritage Church, carpet donations from Light House Flooring Gallery, and   car seat donations from the Junior League of Texarkana.  Texarkana is definitely a very giving   community!

We have also been able to help many people because of your generous donations!  We   were able to give formula and a $190 gift card to Walmart to a foster family   who was struggling during the government shut down.  We were able to furnish an entire apartment   for a 17 year old girl who is 9 months pregnant and is getting her 2 year old   baby back.  We have given out 1 crib,   530 clothing items, 52 pairs of shoes, 10 packs of diapers, 10 packs of   wipes, 1 car seat and numerous bows, socks and underwear to help out 41   children in Miller, Bowie and Cass Counties!    WOW!!! Texarkana, You are   REALLY stepping up to the plate!!!    Thank you for supporting the local foster care community and for   responding to needs as you see them!

-Angela  Coston, Executive Director

              Spring is   here!  We are so excited for the arrival of spring at the Blessing   Boutique located at For the Sake of One on Hickory Street. We have lots of   new things provided by our wonderful community ready to place in the boutique   to allow our foster and kinship families shopping opportunities. But we need you!

  Saturday, March 30th from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. has been set aside   as our change out day.  We will be packing away our   fall and winter clothing and restocking with our spring and summer donations.   The more volunteers we have, the sooner the Blessing Boutique will be ready   for our families to prepare for spring and summer!

   Many of our foster families who shop with   us mentioned it is "such a blessing" we provide, especially in the   early days of fostering a new placement. We are a much needed source to the   families for clothing, shoes, socks, etc. So it seemed fitting to name our   little room the Blessing Boutique. Our community has blessed us tremendously with donations.

  Please mark your calendars and join us on Saturday, March 30th.  No experience   necessary!

-Kathy   Hudson, Board Member and volunteer

          “We love it when you bring the goodies! Someone tells me ‘Angela is   coming this week’ and I make sure I’m in the office!” –Cherrell, TX caseworker

“We really enjoyed Saturday night!  Thank you for   all that you do for foster/adoptive parents!!!" –Brandy, Foster/Adoptive   mom

“I am in awe of what God is doing through His people.  They are doing exactly what He’s called   them to do – Be the church!” – Peri, Foster mom

“To be able to have a resource like For the Sake of One is a major   contribution to the families we help and the workers who want to impact   lives.”  - Kenoshia, AR caseworker

         
  Caseworkers are overworked, underpaid and see the worst of the worst. Did you   know that 75% of caseworkers quit   within the first 13 months? According to the Dayton Daily News, a child with   one caseworker through a year’s time has a 74% chance of finding a permanent placement. However, that rate   drops to 17% when two caseworkers are   involved and 5% when three   caseworkers are involved with one child’s case. We have about 60 case workers that we partner with   between Bowie, Cass and Miller Counties.        

      Our hope is to decrease   the burn-out rate of caseworkers through encouraging them with God’s love and   letting them know they are not alone. We currently need about 30 more volunteers to be an encourager.   We ask that you commit to at least one year to doing this, but please feel   free to continue longer than one year.    

      Responsibilities of this   position are to send an encouraging email, text or phone call to your case   worker at least two-three times a month, pray for them daily and send or take   them a goody once a month. Feel free to do more than the base requirement. If   you are interested in encouraging a caseworker, please email our Volunteer   Coordinator, Alyssa, at fsoalyssa@gmail.com.

-Alyssa Beach, Volunteer   Coordinator/Office Manager

 THANK YOU!!    

To   our partnering Churches!

Wake   Village FBC

Beech   Street FBC

Heritage   Church

Myrtle   Springs Baptist Church

Cross   Pointe Baptist Church

First   United Methodist Church

Church   on the Rock

Richmond   Road Baptist Church

FBC   Hooks

FBC   Nash

Hardy   Memorial United Methodist Church

FBC   Texarkana

March   30: 12-3 – Change out the seasons   in our Blessing Boutique

April   27: 8-3 – Babysitter Training –   Become a licensed Respite Provider in ONE DAY!

April   30: 11:30 – Ribbon Cutting (422   Hickory)

April   30: 12-6 – Open House – Come tour   our facility and have refreshments!

May   3: 9 am – 3rd Annual   Golf Tournament at the Texarkana Golf Ranch.    Email Angela at fsotxk@gmail.com for more information.

May   30-31 – Families Count   Simulcast.  This is the curriculum we   will use for our biological parent support.    If your church would like to join with us in this, please email fsotxk@gmail.com. Go to https://lifelinechild.org/families-count/ for more information on this program.