In June of 2019, Annie C Courtney Foundation with our colleagues from the Foster, Adoptive and Kinship Coalition, partnered with Dave Chmielewski from DirectLine Media and Matt Terribile from Ace Tone Productions to produce the #FosterCareChallenge music video to help promote the need for foster parents in Connecticut and across the country. On July 18, 2019, the video debuted at the annual NACAC conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Working with Dave and Matt has been one of the best experiences we have had as a collaborative. When they took on this task, they immediately recognized how much impact this had to have and stopped at nothing to help us create a final product that could live up to the significant need we face for foster families in Connecticut. We are incredibly grateful to Dave and Matt for their hard work, patience, and dedication. We could not have had a better duo to work with. “Change the World” is the result of their talents and our persistence. #FosterCareChallenge has been accepted by Rhode Island and other states. we look forward to their music videos highlighting the need for foster families.
Connecticut has over 4300 children in foster care. Nationally, there are over 400,000 children in foster care. Over 100,000 kids are waiting for a forever family. And sadly, over 20,000 will age out of foster care as young adults having never achieved permanency. These young adults are at high risk for homelessness, incarceration, and unemployment. Many will become young parents with no support systems or resources. Very few will obtain a college degree.
We can each do our part to become the village all children, especially children in foster care, need to thrive. Consider foster parenting. There is a child waiting for someone just like you.