Four Oaks Family Connections

Join the Foster Parent Town Hall on Tuesday, July 9!

At Four Oaks our mission is to recruit and retain stable, nurturing, and diverse foster and adoptive families to keep children safe from further trauma and assist them in their transition to permanency.

We are, however, not a child placement agency, but we are always here to help and support you along the way!

Learn more: http://ow.ly/eN8950MUyMT

Do you want to better understand the matching process when Four Oaks is looking for a home for a child needing care?

Join us on December 7th at 7pm or December 18th at 1pm to better understand the process of finding a home for children. **Please note this forum does not count towards licensing hours

Time: Dec 7, 2023 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81556477361?pwd=3N6JEw0RXobaL0YrD3Fn9v3mLmTeY6.1
Meeting ID: 815 5647 7361
Passcode: 071790
Topic: Matching 101 Forum

Time: Dec 18, 2023 01:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83145080472?pwd=jZF6Ao7Ie6VhubbiY2OLdJZOnRttAN.1

Gazette Gives Back is back! Please consider voting for Four Oaks!

To vote online, visit https://rewards.thegazette.com/givesback

If you are a Gazette subscriber, you will have 5 votes to use. If not, you will have 1.

Thanks for your support!

We received an AMAZING donation for our 2023 Holiday Drive from Twitch streamer Jacob Kinyon!

For the second year, Jacob recruited his Twitch followers worldwide to pitch in and donate many toys and games! Thank you to Jacob and the community he has built for the generous donations for our kids. They will be thrilled!

Members of the Four Oaks team will be at the Five Seasons Lights TONIGHT!

Come visit and enjoy the lights, music, and more at McGrath Amphitheatre

The event is free to the public. All donations given today will directly benefit Four Oaks programs! We really hope to see you there!

After a near sold-out crowd at the Saturday evening performance of A Gift for Rebecca, ACT hosted a talkback with Emily Easton, who is Recruitment and Retention Coordinator for the Des Moines Service Area from Four Oaks Family Connections.

Since A Gift for Rebecca is about a 12-year-old in foster care, we knew that Emily with provide us with valuable insight. In addition to taking questions from the audience about the need for foster care families in our area, the playwright and cast members answered questions about the show itself and the experience of bringing this World Premier show to life.

Our Sunday show is Sold Out, we still have more shows on 12/7- 12/10. For tickets go to
https://tickets.midwestix.com/events/22086

Members of the Four Oaks team will be at the Five Seasons Lights event on Monday, Dec. 4!

Come visit and enjoy the lights, music, and more at McGrath Amphitheatre

The event is free to the public. All donations given on Dec. 4 will directly benefit Four Oaks programs! We really hope to see you there!

Four Oaks Foster and Adoptive Recruitment and Training Manager Christa Hefel was on the 'Creating a Family' Podcast this month!

It is a great episode that covers a lot of ground on sticky situations that arise during the holiday season, including:

-Incorporating very different traditions around the holidays. Differences in gift-giving styles.
-Managing expectations of gifts
-Incorporating the birth family
-How do we handle grandparents/older relatives who are very vocal about current affairs, race issues, politics, and government systems (foster system) in earshot of kids?
-Child is of a different religion or no religion. If the holiday is religious, how to handle with adoption or fostering?
-What do you do when grandparents show a clear preference for biological grandchildren?

Listen here:

Navigating Sticky Situations That Arise During the Holidays Creating a Family, the national adoption, and foster care education & support nonprofit, provides trauma-informed & expert-based resources on domestic infant adoption, foster care adoption, international adoption, adopting a relative from abroad, fostering/foster parent resources, embryo donation/ad...

Today is Giving Tuesday and we hope you will join us!

For 50 years, Four Oaks has provided opportunities to Iowa's children and families to succeed. We have touched thousands of lives across the state. We hope you will join us as we continue to help children and families through the next 50 years.

Every act of generosity counts, and everyone has something to give.

Here's what you can do:
1. Give. We are raising funds to support Iowa's children and families so they can succeed. Donate online or Venmo . Check with your employer to see if they will match your GivingTuesday donation so you can double your impact!

(Give here: https://ow.ly/FXXq50Qbxxt)

2. Volunteer. We have upcoming opportunities for volunteers at the annual Four Oaks Holiday project. We will also need volunteers for our 2024 events. Contact Sue Millar ([email protected]) for more information!

3. Spread the word! Encourage friends, family, and colleagues to join you. Share on social media what our mission means to you. Use the hashtag so we can harness the power of social media and connection to help share our story!

Senior Training Specialist Ashley Brooks sat down with KCRG’s Jackie Kennon earlier this month to talk about maintaining normalcy for children around the holidays!

Thank you, Ashley, for participating. You did excellent!

Watch the video here: https://ow.ly/75Zn50Q9VRA

November is National Adoption Month.

Each year, 115,000 children are adopted in the U.S. and around 391,000 children are currently in foster care.

Learn more about what you can do to help: https://ow.ly/kutw50Q71ir

Happy Thanksgiving From Four Oaks!

We hope everyone has a great holiday. We are incredibly thankful for the community support we receive to help children and families in Iowa!

For 50 years, Four Oaks has provided opportunities to Iowa's children and families to succeed. We remain dedicated to our mission of assuring Iowa's children become successful adults.

We will be participating in GivingTuesday on November 28, and we need YOU to join us!

Here's how you can get ready for the big day:

1. Mark your calendar. GivingTuesday is November 28, 2023. Keep an eye on your inbox for more details!

2. Give. On November 28, we will be raising raise funds to support Iowa's children and families. Click here to see the many ways you can give. Check with your employer to see if they will match your GivingTuesday donation so you can double your impact!

3. Volunteer. We have upcoming opportunities for volunteers at the annual Four Oaks Holiday project. We will also need volunteers for our 2024 events.

4. Spread the word! Encourage friends, family, and colleagues to join you. Share on social media what our mission means to you. Use the hashtag so we can harness the power of social media and connection to help share our story!

Did you know that November is National Adoption Month?

Iowa needs more foster and adoptive families. Get started today: https://iowafosterandadoption.org/

Last week, we received a fantastic donation from 9-year-old Bo!

For his birthday this year, Bo wanted to receive items for children and infants to donate to a good cause instead of receiving gifts. Bo's donation included toys, books, clothing for children and infants, diapers, and much more!

Thank you, Bo, for deciding Four Oaks was a good cause! We are super appreciative of your effort and generosity, and there are many children and families who will be grateful for your donation!

Tonight is the night!

Four Oaks' Kai McGee will be discussing the needs and challenges facing LGBTQ+ youth in foster care at the Linn County Public Health building!

The discussion will be followed by a panel of foster parents and professionals with experience caring for LGBTQ+ youth.

We hope to see you there!

Four Oaks' Kai McGee will be discussing the needs and challenges facing LGBTQ+ youth in foster care later this month at the Linn County Public Health building!

The discussion will be followed by a panel of foster parents and professionals with experience caring for LGBTQ+ youth.

We hope to see you there!

Happy Friday!

Here's a reminder to make some time after the busy week to explore and smile!

In case you hadn't heard...

The Four Oaks History Center Exhibit is open now through the end of the year. Stop by and visit soon!

More info: https://ow.ly/aziV50P1w2B

Did you know that November is National Adoption Month?

Iowa needs more foster and adoptive families. Get started today https://ow.ly/x45150Q712p

We held a ribbon cutting earlier this week at our new Dubuque location! The Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce joined Four Oaks and AHNI to celebrate at the Four Oaks Alta Vista campus.

AHNI purchased the property from Loras College earlier this year, and Four Oaks moved its Dubuque offices to the first floor of the Visitation building during the summer.

Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Read more from our friends at the Telegraph Herald:
https://ow.ly/Ly0750Q60KB

At Four Oaks our mission is to recruit and retain stable, nurturing, and diverse foster and adoptive families to keep children safe from further trauma and assist them in their transition to permanency.

Learn more: http://ow.ly/nXti50NkAGg

Entering Foster Care is hard enough, but the challenges can be even more significant for LGBTQ-identified youth.

Four Oaks Foster & Adoptive Family Connections works with adoptive and foster care families to make a positive difference.

We can help you make a difference. Contact us to find out how: http://ow.ly/l5Cu50N3LiA

“I want people who are thinking about adopting to look beyond babies and toddlers” – AdoptUSKids blog “I want people who are thinking about adopting to look beyond babies and toddlers” May 27, 2022      By Kandice Harmon As a child, most kids are thinking about which friend is their best friend, what gadget is trending, or what they want to be when they grow up. My only thought was “Will I...