Vol. 9, No. 2 • May 2002

Statewide association adopts new vision, new look

by Sheryl Ewing, President of the NC Foster and Adoptive Parent Association

Our association has changed its name to the North Carolina Foster and Adoptive Parent Association (NCFAPA). We have been serving adoptive parents for years, but now everyone will know that! The name change comes with a new logo, new mission, and new vision.

Our Mission
The mission of the North Carolina Foster and Adoptive Parent Association is to promote quality foster and adoptive services through collaborative advocacy, education, resources, reunification, and networking.

Our Vision

• Foster, adoptive, and kinship parents and children are valued and supported by professionals and the community at large.
  
  
• Foster, adoptive, and kinship parents participate as fully integrated professional partners at all levels of the North Carolina child welfare system.
  
  
• NCFAPA is a resource for foster, adoptive and kinship parents for information, training, support, and networking.
  
  
• NCFAPA is a highly effective and responsive organization able to carry out its mission and goals.
  
  
• NCFAPA is part of a national movement of collaborative partners that promotes system change for quality foster, reunification, and adoptive services and support.
  
  
• NCFAPA effectively advocates for the needs of foster, adoptive, and kinship children and parents.
  

As you can see, our Board of Directors has developed a family-centered vision. We want all foster, adoptive, and kinship parents to be valued, integrated partners of the child welfare system. We want to be an organization that meets your needs and provides a voice for you at the state level. We are here to help you as you do the incredibly important work of helping the children in our state.

We are also involved with the NC Division of Social Services and the four contract agencies providing post-adoption services across the state. We want you to continue to feel supported and have training opportunities even after you adopt. Many adoptive families have expressed that they feel alone once the adoption papers are finalized. We are working to fix that.

Many of you have joined or renewed your membership with NCFAPA and many were able to join our annual conference in April 2005. We thank you for your support. Together, we are making a difference in the lives of children and parents.

But we still have lots more work to do, and we need your help. Please consider working with our Board of Directors on one of the standing committees. We need year-round help with our Conference and Training Committee. Do you have great ideas about legislative improvements? Sign up for our Advocacy Committee. We also need people with financial skills, grant writing, and fundraising—please consider joining our Finance Committee. These committees meet several times a year and your input would be invaluable.

Finally, as your outgoing President, I thank you for your support. Serving five years on the Board has been an incredible experience and one I will always cherish. I have had so many great opportunities and have met so many wonderful, dedicated people working to improve lives for children. I invite you to get more intimately involved. I promise it will be time well spent. I really feel like we have made a big difference in these five years and I am glad to have been a part of that.

Thank you for giving me this opportunity

Copyright � 2005 Jordan Institute for Families