In a creative celebration of Foster Care Awareness Month, Child Advocates held its first-ever Foster Care Awareness Art Celebration at Empire Seven Studios on May 28, 2023.
The event brought foster youth, teens and non-minor dependents (NMDs) together, along with their Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Volunteers, to take part in a range of activities including coloring, finger painting, creating wind chimes and affirmation jars, and even painting a community mural, soon to be displayed at our agency’s office. It allowed CASAs and their youths to prioritize quality time while encouraging self-expression through art, and the creation of the mural brought all of the attendees together, allowing each participant to add to the canvas in any way they wished. Later, group-bonding was further supported through games such as Jenga, ladder toss and cornhole.
The theme of this year’s celebration—”Stronger Together”—paid homage to the special bonds between CASA Volunteers and the children they serve. Youth in foster care are more likely to develop higher stress levels, anxiety or depression due to experiences of abuse, neglect or abandonment. CASAs are able to provide positive childhood experiences and evidence-based stress busters that help these children heal. Thank you to our amazing staff and local partners Empire Seven Studios and SJ Makers Store, who provided the space and helped make this inaugural event such a success. Attendees were able to take their creations home at the end of the afternoon, and they will no doubt serve as wonderful reminders of this special day!
If you have questions or are interested in sponsoring a youth-related event, please contact our development department at development@childadvocatessv.org.
