Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "foster children"

‘Flowers’ raise funds for foster kids

2011-08-31T13:37:53Z

“The Language of Flowers” expresses the yearnings of the heart.

Author, Vanessa Diffenbaugh is doing just that as she kicks off a nationwide book tour with a five hundred dollar a head fundraiser to raise money for foster kids who have aged out of foster care, followed by a talk & book signing at Tsakopoulos Library Galleria on Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 7:30pm to 9pm.

The petals hide the tragic inequities of foster care. Her protagonist, Victoria, a damaged foster kid, ages out at 18 and finds herself sleeping in a park. She works at a flower shop for change and communicates meaning through her artistry of flowers. It is what she determines is what she is good at, a creative outlet and sets the direction for her to help herself and others. Victoria’s journey unfolds with love and forgiveness through the “language of flowers” engaging readers and subtly prompting them to act against those inequities.

A native of Chico, CA, and a graduate of Stanford University, Diffenbaugh, 33, sets the scene in parks familiar to Sacramento. The parks could well be our own backyard. That’s because she wrote the entire book here recalling hours at a café on S Street. Plus, she draws from her own experience teaching art to low income youths and life of being a foster mother.

Inspiration for the book’s protagonist came from a 15-year-old girl that Diffenbaugh and her husband mentored.

“We loved her and considered adopting her, but she was so hard to get to know. Even after a year with her in our home we couldn’t get through to her.”

Hidden in ‘flowers’ is strong emotion, one that has universal support as the book has been translated in 34 languages, and is a No.2 perfect-seller in Italy. It has also been a subject of choice for Glamour, NPR, Ladies Home Journal, and Good Housekeeping. Vanessa appears this month on an interview about the book through BBC Breakfast.

Along with the book release, she also founded the Camellia Network, a non-profit whose mission is to create a nationwide movement to support youth transitioning from foster care.

The meaning of camellia in the language of flowers is “My destiny is in your hands.”

We all have a role in influencing the society we live in by sharing our talents with our youngest citizens.

National Adoption Day - 11/20/10 at the State Capitol

2010-11-17T20:20:44Z

"Strengthening Communities One Family at a Time"

November is National Adoption Month. Counties and communities across California will promote adoption and permanency awareness through activities and events that bring attention to the needs of the children and youth in foster care throughout the state waiting for families to love and adopt them. Of the 60,000 children and youth that are in California's foster care system, 25,000 of them are ready to be adopted, and yet the continue to linger in care. Locally, there are about 1,200 children and youth in the Sacramento region who are waiting to be adopted.

National Adoption Day on November 20, 2010 will cap the month-long effort to raise awareness about the thousands of children in California waiting for families, celebrate those special people who have provided a loving home to children in foster care, and inspire others to come forward and be a forever family to children and youth.

Special Event
National Adoption Day
California State Capitol -- “Dawn to Dusk Calling Out of Names”
Saturday, November 20, 2010
6 am to 6 pm

This day culminates the month-long effort around the nation to promote awareness of foster children and youth in search of adoptive families. The event is hosted by a unique coalition of local and state public and private agencies who have united in their efforts to help foster children. On the West steps of the California State Capitol, state and community leaders, adoptive parents, former foster children and child advocates will “call out” the names of children and youth who continue to wait for family love and belonging. This meaningful event will honor those who have come forward to transform the lives of children through adoption as well as recognize the thousands of children in California waiting for forever families.

This ALL DAY event will include:

6:00am – 6pm: Calling Out of Names

8:00am – 6pm: Community Adoption Information Fair:
Featuring information and educational materials from local adoption agencies on how to become a forever parent to a child in foster care. A great opportunity to meet with multiple agencies at one time.

9:00am: Pancake Breakfast

10:30am: Walk Around the Capitol:
Join families and community members for a walk around the Capitol and celebrate the special role of adoptive families in our region.

Throughout:
Entertainment, inspirational speakers, kid’s crafts and more!

6:00pm – Candlelight Vigil:
Stand with us for this powerful moment on the steps of the Capitol.

Get Involved
For more information on how you can help strengthen our community one family at time, visit the websites of one of the agencies sponsoring National Adoption Month in California. Learn how you can become an adoptive family or provide other ongoing, permanent support for foster children in need. Learn also how you can volunteer for National Adoption Day at the State Capitol.

Become A Parent
To learn more about how you can help strengthen our community by becoming a permanent family to a child or children in foster care in the greater Sacramento Area.

Please visit the websites of one of these sponsoring agencies:

AspiraNET: www.aspiranet.org
EMQ Families First: www.emqff.org
Lilliput Children's Services: www.lilliput.org
Sierra Forever Families: www.sierraff.org

Call Out Names

To lend your voice as a participant in the “Calling Out of Names,” contact: Sara Hanson at 916.368.5114 or email shanson@sierraff.org.

Other Events Throughout the State and Nation
Dozens of other events will occur on National Adoption Day in California – and hundreds more across the nation. All seek to bring attention to the thousands children that are waiting for families. For more information, visit www.nationaladoptionday.org.

What's happening at the Capitol: November 21

2009-11-21T03:21:22Z

Saturday, Nov. 21

11 a.m. - 3 p.m. California State Sen. George Runner and California State Assemblyman Roger Neillo will team up with the Patriot Defenders Network to sponsor the "Water For Farmlands" forum. The group seeks a temporary waiver of the Endangered Species Act in order to revert water that is currently rehabilitating endangered fish species to Central Valley farmers. About 500 people are expected to attend the forum, which will be held on the Capitol's west steps.

2 - 5 p.m. Aspiranet, a nonprofit that provides social services to foster children, will be holding a National Adoption Day rally on the north steps of the Capitol. About 300 people are expected to participate.

No further events will take place until Wednesday, Dec. 2.