How To Help
There are so many ways to help children in foster care…
VOLUNTEER:
Share your time, talent, and heart as a member of the Kids First Team. Just 1-2 hours per month can make a big difference in the lives of the children we serve! Join our dedicated team and contribute to the well-being of Island and San Juan County children who are in the care of foster and relative families.
We are currently looking for volunteers for the following positions:
Board Members: Members of our Board of Directors guide the direction of Kids First as a whole. They attend quarterly and annual meetings, oversee Kids First programs, and support program leaders and volunteers. Board members vote to approve the need requests that Kids First receives. Board members are eligible to hold officer positions such as Treasurer, Secretary, etc.
Commitment is 1-4 hours per month.
Request Committee: Meeting children’s individual needs is at the very heart & soul of Kids First. As a member of this committee, your experience in helping to fulfill a child’s unmet need will be deeply rewarding. Members of this committee help Kids First leverage resources to meet requests that are submitted on behalf of individual children. Requests are received throughout the year.
Commitment is 1-2 hours per month.
Back-To-School Program: We need an individual or a small team to coordinate our annual Back-To-School Program. This involves communicating with the community to promote the program. Working with the bank to get the gift cards. Preparing the gifts cards for delivery to families and organizing the delivery process.
Commitment is 1-4 hours per month in the Summer.
Holiday Stockings: We are in need of volunteers to reach out to community organizations and encourage stocking sponsorships. We also need help filling stockings that Kids First supplies.
Commitment is 1-3 hours in October-December.
Advocacy and Community Relationships: Members of this committee serve as a voice for children who are in care. Committee members take lead to promote partnerships for children through the use social media, public and private speaking events, and collaborate with public and private sectors in our communities, building the partnerships that link children with opportunities. If you are a foster care alumnus, current or former caregiver, or VGAL this is especially for you!
Commitment is 1-3 hours, 2-4 times per year.
Social Media and Communication: We need volunteers to keep up-to-date on current events, information, and legislation in foster care and child welfare and share the information on our social media pages and website.
Commitment is about 1-2 hours monthly.
CLICK HERE TO CONTACT US ABOUT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES!
DONATE:
Join Kids First in linking children to educational, vocational, and recreational opportunities by donating to Kids First. We are a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and your donations are tax deductible.
or send in a donation by mail to:
Kids First Island County
P.O. Box 581
Clinton, WA 98236
PARTNER:
Join us in meeting the needs of children in foster and relative care in Island County! CLICK HERE TO CONTACT US ABOUT BECOMING A COMMUNITY PARTNER!
Other Ways to Help Children in Foster Care
ADVOCATE:
- Become a Volunteer Guardian Ad Litem and be the voice for a child in foster care.
Contact Sarah Berger (360-240-5560) Island County VGAL program for more information or visit Washington Association of Child Advocate Programs
- Contact local and state representatives to let them know that improving outcomes for youth in foster care is a priority matter in Island County. Island County is WA District 10 – Find your current district representatives here.
- Stay aware of legislative matters that are shaping the future for the Washington State child welfare system through The Mockingbird Society
MENTOR:
Be a Big Brother or Sister and help make an amazing difference for a child in foster care.
Visit www.bbbsislandcounty.org or call 360.279.0644 for more information.
FOSTER/ADOPT:
Become a licensed foster parent or provide occasional respite care for local foster and relative parents. For more information visit:
Washington – Becoming a Foster Parent or call 1-888-KIDS-414