To see a smile, hear a laugh, or catch a glimpse of wonder…Cobbled Streets has been providing enriching experiences and opportunities for kids in foster care for two years! The activities have included golf lessons and mentors, equine therapy, and baseball. But it’s not just about swinging the club, and it’s more than a horse or a base hit. Cobbled Streets is about building relationships, creating trust, and providing skills for a better future. It is about hope and joy.
This year we served 742 kids in the foster care system; we provided more than 3,241 hours of individual and group activities and experiences…and the numbers keep growing.
Bringing kids together who share similar circumstances helps them make friends and have fun together. It’s inspiring to hear from foster parents about the positive changes they see in their kids. Often kids are not so sad; sometimes they are more involved with their families; many times, they discover an activity that generates thoughts of a career in the future.
Cobbled Streets is unique. Because we are not burdened by the challenges of a bureaucracy, the recognition of urgency in the lives of these kids can be acted upon with the urgency that’s required. For a kid in foster care, time is more than a concept – it can be life changing.
In September, we launched the Ambassadors program and now have 5 judicial districts engaged! The ambassadors are experienced current or former foster parents within the community who identify the needs of foster families and kids within a specific area. Once identified, Cobbled Streets and their partner organizations work to encourage a “community” approach to service while providing individualized experiences and opportunities for the children.
It is an honor to serve this community. Not only are the kids’ lives changing but families and communities are changing. Every day, these kids inspire us by their generous spirit; they challenge us by their trust; and their joy propels us to work even harder to create a brighter future. With your help, 2023 will be fantastic!