“Be A Hero” for the Children Movie Night, May 22, (Free just RSVP)

 Do You Wear a Cape Along with Your Mask? “SHAZAM!”

“Children need families they can rely on.  Foster families are everyday heroes, and COVID has hit the foster care system hard,” said Jill Troutman VP of advancement, marketing, and communications for The Children’s Home of Reading, “Foster family dynamics changed just like everyone else’s,  some of our families lost their jobs, or worked outside of the home and didn’t have anyone to stay with the children while they attended school virtually, so they took themselves out of availability.”

Children thrive best in a family setting.

The Children’s Home of Reading served over 324 children through their foster and adoptive programs during fiscal year 19/20. Sometimes all a child needs are somebody to rely on. Studies have found that children with a permanent connection with an adult in their lives tend to do well in all aspects of their lives. Our foster care and adoption service program is built on the framework of providing support to both children and families to decide the best outcome for the identified children in care.

“Since COVID we had to refuse over 90% of our referrals due to unavailability of families,” Troutman said, “We need homes for older youth, sibling groups, and school-age children and hope to change that on Saturday, May 22 during our “Be A Hero”-Movie Night, when gates open at 5:30 pm to the public.”

Dr. Vincent LaSorsa, President and CEO, of The Children’s Home of Reading, said they were doing everything possible to adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines to ensure everyone’s safety.  The free event will be held outside with multiple sanitation stations, and all attendees, the staff, Superheros, and volunteers will be required to wear facemasks with capes remaining optional!

“We will have some of our own foster family heroes in attendance, and welcome everyone to RSVP early as seats are limited, ask questions about foster care, and have some fun watching “Shazam” on the jumbotron,” said LaSorsa, the CEO of The Children’s Home of Reading.

“The Children’s Home of Reading had its beginning as an orphanage and was started by the town of Reading over 135 years ago, and here we are today because of and for all the communities we serve across PA,” LaSorsa said.  “Our goal for this open-air fun family event is to celebrate children, have some fun and ask the community to help us raise awareness of the desperate need for foster families.”

Berks County, PA-Over 440,000 children from across the United States are looking for a hero to help them find the safety and security of a family each year. 

Between 550-600 children enter the Berks County Children and Youth Services every year.  “That is a huge number of families to find in such a relatively small area”, said Troutman, “We really want to keep Berks county children in Berks County so they can maintain their friends and activities.”

Who can be a foster parent?

Foster families can be anyone who is over 21, who can pass the background check, take the training, be able to pay their bills, and provide a loving, supportive home to a child in crisis. “We have all types of families, single, married, LGBT, retired, homeowners, renters; we are inclusive and celebrate diversity at The Children’s Home of Reading.”

The public is requested to RSVP for this free family-friendly event on Saturday, May 22nd at the Fightin’s Stadium, complete with door prizes, Superhero photo opportunities, and fun when the gates open at 5:30 pm.  COVID Guidelines do apply and people are asked to RSVP for the event before May 22 at www.buildingkidslives.org/superhero, due to the social distancing restrictions in the stands.

“We’d love for everyone throughout Berks county to be having a conversation during National Foster Care Month, about foster care and adoption with their coworkers, neighbors, friends and family members,” said Troutman, “Think of it as a casting call on May 22, we invite everyone to attend, have fun and “Be a Hero” for the kids!”

Every child deserves a home.

If you can’t attend or to learn more about fostering or adoption contact Karen at 610-478-8266 ext. 435 or visit www.buildingkidslives.org/fostercare.

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About The Children’s Home of Reading

The Children’s Home of Reading continues to evolve to meet the needs of the children and families in crisis throughout Pennsylvania, providing trauma-informed mental, behavioral, educational, and community programs and services through our 11 programs, with offices in Berks County, Schuylkill County, and the Greater Lehigh Valley.