The Foster Family Alliance of North Carolina is excited to announce its Summit series, Together We Can!
Our first summit was held Sept 21, 2019 in Gaston County and was a great success. Thank you Gaston County DHHS for all of your hard work and dedication in leading and holding this event. We are currently scheduling two summits for spring 2020, locations to be announced.
Together We Can summits are geared toward families interested in fostering, current foster/adopt/kinship families, and any agency or person serving our foster community. We have an energy packed day, guaranteed to ignite the fire in each person attending. The tracks being offered during Together We Can summits include:
Potential Foster Families. This track is geared toward families interested in fostering and is a great opportunity for agencies to send families who are interested or in the process of becoming licensed. We will have current families in the community as well as trainers talking about the process and answering questions.
Shared Parenting. Come hear about the changes to the timeframe for shared parenting visits (from 7 days to 14 days) and success stories of families who have worked together to reunify children and youth with their birth families.
Fostering Teens. We have partnered with LINKS and SaySo to have teens and current foster parents talk about fostering teenagers and current initiatives in our state to help young adults as they transition from foster care.
Behavior/Trauma. We will have trainers from the community to help us understand our children’s behavior and provide tools to support our children. We will also have families who have faced challenges explain how they helped children manage their behaviors.
Navigating the System. Learn more about the various systems foster parents face. This track will help you understand your rights as a foster parent when it comes to navigating the legal system, schools, and medical care.
Benefits for attending a Together We Can summit include 6+hours of training, all meals included, door prizes, awards, and a celebration banquet! We will also have agencies from your community, who serve you and your kids, as vendors with tables so you can get information, ask questions, and connect to services.
For more information, visit ffa-nc.org or call 800/578-7770.
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About FFA-NC
Our organization began more than 40 years ago (in 1975) as the North Carolina Foster Parent Association and changed its name in 2006 to the North Carolina Foster and Adoptive Parent Association (NCFAPA). Now, as FFA-NC, we have recommitted to bringing together parents and agencies across the state to better serve our children. We are grateful for the continued support of the NC Division of Social Services and other funding agencies.
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FFA-NC Welcomes New Board Members
Pete Smith, Vice President. Pete has been a foster parent since 2013. In 2018 he and his wife, Ginger, received the Adoption Excellence Award from AdoptUSKids for their efforts in the foster and adoptive community in Wake County, NC. He has an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and has been in the Information Technology field for the last 18 years in operations and program management roles. Pete currently resides in Raleigh with his wife and their three kids.
Thy Toeung, Treasurer. Thy, his wife Jamaica, and their two children have been a licensed foster family for about three years. Thy is currently a director of Pre-Sales for Information Governance and Digital Solutions at Iron Mountain. Thy is also part owner of Seeds and Sprouts Kids Consignment Sale, a biannual event that helps families find and sell gently used children’s items. Donated items from the consignors, as well as a portion of the sales, go directly to foster families and charities that support them. To relax, Thy enjoys playing sand volleyball, building Minecraft worlds, and improving his karate skills.
Alex Williams, Advisory Board Member and director of Foster Care & Adoptions, Crossnore School & Children’s Home. Originally from England, Alex has spent the last 16 years working in child welfare fields in various capacities – including work in Canada, West Africa, and now the U.S. For the last seven years, Alex has directed foster care and adoption programs in Asheville area – working to increase access and resources for families and children, as well as improve outcomes for children in care. Alex’s passion for foster and adoptive care stems from his personal faith walk, as well as the appreciation of the power of families who open their homes to children in need through his own mother’s childhood story.
FFA-NC Board Members
Maurita McCorkle, Executive Director
Shane Lunsford, President
Pete Smith, Vice President
Thy Toeung, Treasurer
Kate Norwalk, Secretary
Vacant, General Counsel
Vacant, Communications Director
Vacant, Region 1 Board Member
Rochelle Johnson, Region 2 Board Member
Vacant, Region 3 Board Member
Gaile Osbourne, Region 4 Board Member
Vacant, Region 5 Board Member
Vacant, Region 6 Board Member
Vacant, Region 7 Board Member
Stephen Fletcher, Board Member
Joanne Scaturro, Advisory Board
Kimberlee Grier, Advisory Board
Alex Williams, Advisory Board
Robyn Kelly, Advisory Board – Marketing and Communications
Tanya Sloan, Advisory Board – Marketing and Communications
If you are interested in a board position, please contact Maurita McCorkle ([email protected]).
