Shelter is proud to announce a $2,000,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to partner with Let It Be Us for a new Emergency Foster Care Program.

Being removed from their home, for whatever reason, is a traumatic time for a young person, and having a soft place to land is critical. However, it may take days or even weeks to match the child with the right foster home. Emergency foster homes fill that critical gap providing a safe, nurturing environment. Even though emergency care is short-term, it makes a significant difference in the life of a child.

Though Shelter will continue with our traditional and home-of-relative foster care, emergency care is a new program requiring parents to have special licensing and training, and they receive additional financial support.

Matching a youth with the right family is what Let It Be Us is all about. Their mission is to inspire foster care and adoption and they utilize their many resources to recruit foster families, assist with the licensing process, and match youths with families.

Founder and Executive Director Susan McConnell says, “The fact that the United States has over 100,000 children in the foster care system who are awaiting adoption is simply unacceptable, as is the fact that Illinois ranks last in the nation at achieving permanency as well as adoption for her waiting children.”

Working together, Let It Be Us and Shelter will fill a need in our community to help our most vulnerable children. If you’d like information on how you can partner with us and be that special foster parent in a child’s life, or if you simply have questions, join the virtual event hosted by Let It Be Us and Shelter.

Tuesday October 4, 2022
7 pm – 8:30 pm
Free and open to the public
Registration is required