Finding Loving Homes for Children; Our Top Priority |
The Baby Fold is a state leader in finding permanent families for foster children. When our foster families choose to make a lifetime commitment, we help facilitate the adoptions, creating permanent, stable, loving homes. Courtrooms that finalize adoptions were closed for a time due to the pandemic; making the legal aspects of adoption proceedings more challenging. Despite every obstacle, the Baby Fold staff and our foster families kept their children safe and lovingly persisted; all reporting that creating their new family was well-worth the wait!
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Having your family around the table for Thanksgiving is a precious custom. This year, many of us chose not to gather the whole family to keep each other safe and well. But one family, the “Smiths” had a full table for the holiday meal for the FIRST time. Mrs. Smith wrote a thank you note to her son “Andrew’s” teachers. She said that the family, her husband and two daughters, had not been able to share a peaceful meal together because Andrew, who has autism, had needed individual help to use his utensils and stay seated. Either mom or dad would sit with him while the rest of the family sat at the table together. However, this year, Andrew has made such progress at school; he was able to share in the family meal without disruption. A new tradition has begun in the Smith family. All members of the family said grace, gave thanks, and enjoyed the blessing of the holiday together. |
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Our Community is Amazing - Thank you! |
Festival of Trees 2020 was an amazing success because our community is committed to our children and families. The Baby Fold's Festival team made it possible for us to have the Hybrid Festival on display for four days, and in thousands of homes for a week through our virtual bidding platform. Although we couldn’t show off our designers’ magnificent creations to the larger public in the same way as before, what was clearly on full display was the generosity of our friends, donors, and businesses who made sure that the Festival was a great fundraiser, enabling The Baby Fold to reach 1200 children and families this year. Because of your faithful support, Festival of Trees 2020 was one of our most successful, memorable, and meaningful on record! |
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Having Fun and Learning More! |
Can you imagine how fun it would have been to see your teachers dressed up like reindeer and pulling you and your friends in a sleigh? Well, it is 2020, and we are The Baby Fold, so that is happening. Check out the adorable bitmoji figures of our teachers and students learning together in their virtual living room- complete with a Christmas tree decorated with ornaments created by the kids. Nothing can stop the holiday fun, the sense of togetherness that we create with our children and families. This creativity demonstrates the love our teachers have for their students. When the class can begin by gathering at the “hearth” and sharing some time just talking to each other, the kids are set up for a successful day of learning. Especially when the lessons are made more festive with reindeer and Santa suits!
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Remote learning, classroom spaces at home, synchronous learning. All terms that were foreign to most of us before 2020. Out of necessity comes innovation and even blessings. One of our teacher therapists at Hammitt Jr.-Sr. High School, Sue Ineich recently reported a special moment that happened in her classroom (she on her computer, her class on laptops at home). High school students may be particularly effected by distance, because at that age, teens need connection with peers to help them learn how to navigate social situations and develop healthy relationships. Sue noted that after class time was over, one of the teens said to his classmate, “Hey you want to get together and hang out?” Of course this ‘hang out’ will be virtual, but how wonderful to witness our kids wanting to socialize with each other outside of class time. While there are many challenges to remote learning, our teachers and family advocates are working very hard to keep students and families connected to us and to each other.
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Your support gives our children the gift of security, well-being, and comfort this holiday season. If you would like to Adopt-A-Need to help The Baby Fold's programs, please click here. If you are able to Fund-A-Need, please click here.
Holiday Blessings From Our Home to Yours.
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