A Special Thanks to You
Thank you
For filling your heart past maximum capacity
Your tenacity knows no bounds
Arms sweeping around fragile frames
Labeled Discards, Disgraces, Despicable
You name us Fantastic, Friend, Future
Your smile illuminating our darkness
Eyes reflecting the Kings and Queens in front of you
And your voice, the only one heard for miles of despair
Hangs suspended in mind frames
Constantly reminding these Kings and Queens to lead
Us misunderstood souls to succeed
The underestimated me to dream
And with your loving hands you help weave reality
That could have never existed before your persistence
In a better me
And with elevated soul I say,
THANK YOU
Jessica Holden, 2010
Northwestern University Sophomore,
Former Fostering Futures and CASA Youth
End-of-Year Donations Graciously Accepted
Thanks to so many compassionate individuals, families, businesses, and civic organizations, Kids Matter was able to provide holiday gifts for nearly 1,200 children in foster and kinship care this year. We could not have done this without the help of so many community sponsors. Visit our website to see some of the generous donors who helped make this holiday season brighter for "our kids."
As we prepare for a new year, we are hopeful and encouraged based on the generous support we received during 2010. A new year means that new children will find permanent, loving homes and leave foster care behind. A new year means that new CASA volunteers will be trained to advocate for the best interests of Milwaukee's most vulnerable children. A new year also means that, unfortunately, new kids will suffer abuse and neglect and come to the attention of the child welfare system. Fortunately, these kids are not alone--they are "our kids."
Kids Matter Inc. is working to help abused and neglected children heal and thrive, and your support allows us to continue working in our community. We appreciate your support.
To donate now, click here.
Kids Matter CASA: Making a Difference One Kid at a Time
National CASA profiled two Kids Matter CASA volunteers as "Volunteers Supporting Success." This is one of their stories.
From the age of five, Virginia was a victim of sexual abuse by her mother and stepfather. At the age of 14, Virginia finally found the courage to report the abuse, her mother and stepfather fled the state, and she was placed in foster care.
Virginia lived in a series of group homes. She engaged in self-destructive behavior including cutting and several suicide attempts. When Megan--her CASA volunteer--first met her, she was not attending school because of behavior issues in school.
Virginia says that when she first met her volunteer, she thought, "Who is this person who keeps getting on me about going to school? At first, I thought my volunteer was a ditz." She couldn't believe that anyone would be taking on the task of working with her, let alone a volunteer. So she tested her volunteer by refusing to cooperate with her for the first three months of their relationship. Her volunteer refused to give up on her, though.
Over time, her CASA volunteer became her closest ally. Even during the difficult times-when Virginia's mental health issues became challenging, or when bad behavior landed Virginia in court--Megan was right there at her side. The dedication paid off. Virginia graduated from high school and is currently hoping to join Job Corps.
The greatest surprise in Virginia's story came earlier this year. Virginia's father had been faithfully paying child support for years, but for some reason the state was not able to establish contact with him and Virginia. Finally, he reached out to her through Facebook. They met for the first time in April 2010. Her CASA volunteer-still watching out for her-drove her to Minnesota for the reunification meeting. In November, Virginia visited her father at his home in Minneapolis to spend a joyous Thanksgiving.
Click here to see this story and others from all over the country on the National CASA website.
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Dates to Remember
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Event for CASA kids with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
January 17, 2011,
10 AM-12 PM
MLK Library
--Lead by CASA Volunteer Felicia Miller, Marquette University Professor
CASA Volunteer Training: Wednesday Evenings February through March,
6-9 PM
National CASA Conference
March 19-22, 2011
Chicago, IL
Visit the website for more information.
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Claudia Romero and Kids Matter Featured on CBS's "Making Milwaukee Great"
Claudia Romero, a nursing student at MATC, organized a toy drive to collect holiday gifts for children in foster and kinship care. With a goal of donating 300 gifts, Claudia greatly exceeded her goal with a grand total of 442 gifts this year!
Click here to see Claudia on CBS's "Making Milwaukee Great" and learn about her extraordinary efforts.
Teddy Bears from Aeropostale and Shaw's Jewelers for Kids in Foster Care
Bear
In the spirit of giving, Aeropostale generously donated five boxes filled with teddy bears to Kids Matter, which will be distributed to children in foster and kinship care. These teddy bears were Aeropostale's special 2010 edition, and they just needed some loveable kids to belong to.
Shaw's Jewelers graciously donated bags full of teddy bears to Kids Matter so that kids in foster and kinship care can have furry friends to call their own!
Next CASA Training:
February 2011
Please contact Kids Matter at 414-344-1220 to find out more information and sign up for our next CASA training. Click here to learn more about becoming a CASA volunteer!
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