Year-Three Respite Program Grantees

As part of the third year of the AdoptUSKids Respite Program (2009-10), we awarded 33 mini-grants to foster, adoptive, and kinship parent groups and associations to partner with public agencies for creating and strengthening respite services to families. Strong respite care programs require community involvement and partnerships. Such programs are the most effective way to assure that respite care will be available to families for years to come.

Arkansas

• Grantee: Foster Parent Association of Izard, Fulton, and Sharp Counties
  Partner Agency: Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of Children and Family Services
  Location: Salem, AK
  Respite Services: One full-day and one overnight respite event, recruitment of respite providers
   

California

• Grantee: Foster Parents United Association of the City and County of San Francisco
  Partner Agency: Human Services Agency of San Francisco
  Location: San Francisco, CA
  Respite Services: Time out for parents, creation of Release the Steam Respite Program
   
• Grantee: New Star Family Center
  Partner Agency: County of Orange Social Services Agency
  Location: Redondo Beach, CA
  Respite Services: Full day of respite each quarter
   
• Grantee: Making a Difference Association
  Partner Agency: West End Family Counseling Services
  Location: San Bernardino, CA
  Respite Services: Monthly respite events for youth with themes
   

Florida

• Grantee: Loving Adoptive Families Forever
  Partner Agency: Children’s Network of Southwest Florida
  Location: Ft. Meyers, FL
  Respite Services: Quarterly respite recreational Saturdays
   
• Grantee: Helping Each Adoption Relationship Thrive
  Partner Agency: Children’s Home Society
  Location: Jacksonville, FL
  Respite Services: Special events quarterly
   

Georgia

• Grantee: Cherokee County Foster and Adoptive Parent Association
  Partner Agency: Adoptive and Foster Parent Association of Georgia
  Location: Waleska, GA
  Respite Services: Kinship parent night out with motel and dinner program for adults, teen lock-in for kids
   
• Grantee: Rockdale County Foster Parent Association, Inc.
  Partner Agency: Rockdale County Division of Family and Children Services
  Location: Conyers, GA
  Respite Services: Monthly respite for four hours, one-time summer camp registration per family
   

Iowa

• Grantee: Allison Area Foster Parent Support Group
  Partner Agency: Iowa Department of Human Services
  Location: Waverly, IA
  Respite Services: Train and certify respite providers from seminary and local college, arrange respite services
   

Indiana

• Grantee: Heritage Foster Adoption Support, Inc.
  Partner Agency: Indiana Department of Child Services
  Location: Avon, IN
  Respite Services: Monthly parents night out with activities for youth
   

Louisiana

• Grantee: Baton Rouge Region Foster and Adopt Association
  Partner Agency: Volunteers of America Greater Baton Rouge
  Location: Baton Rouge, LA
  Respite Services: Bi-monthly respite activities and social events
   
• Grantee: Pride and Hope Ministry Family Support Services, Inc.
  Partner Agency: Louisiana Department of Social Services Office of Community Services
  Location: Angie, LA
  Respite Services: Summer respite camp for four weeks within the local high school
   

Maine

• Grantee: Brunswick Adoptive and Foster Support Group
  Partner Agency: Adoptive & Foster Families of Maine, Inc.
  Location: Brunswick, ME
  Respite Services: Respite program for 100 children during the annual three-day association meeting
   

Maryland

• Grantee: Baltimore City Resource Parent Council
  Partner Agency: Baltimore City Department of Social Services
  Location: Baltimore, MD
  Respite Services: Matching of respite providers and families, two respite social events
   
• Grantee: Maryland Foster Parent Association
  Partner Agency: Maryland Department of Human Resources
  Location: Baltimore, MD
  Respite Services: Create respite program to add to state program, offers more flexible services
   

Massachusetts

• Grantee: The Grandparent Coalition
  Partner Agency: Bristol Elder Services, Inc.
  Location: Fall River, MA
  Respite Services: Three respite family events, summer camp scholarships, in-home respite services
   

Michigan

• Grantee: Love & Logic Support Group
  Partner Agency: Foster Adoptive Family Resources & Support Center
  Location: Battle Creek, MI
  Respite Services: Quarterly respite Saturdays and a crisis respite service
   
• Grantee: D.A. Blodgett Special Needs Adoptive Parent Support Group
  Partner Agency: Adoptive Family Support Network
  Location: Grand Rapids, MI
  Respite Services: Respite training, respite services at two to four hours per time, a special day event
   

Minnesota

• Grantee: Native American Children Having Unique Group Support
  Partner Agency: Domestic Abuse Project
  Location: Minneapolis, MN
  Respite Services: Women’s retreat, outings for parents, special children’s events
   

Mississippi

• Grantee: Harden House Adoption Partners in Permanency: Delta Group
  Partner Agency: Southern Christian Services
  Location: Indianola, MS
  Respite Services: Special training for respite providers taking care of medically fragile children, a weekend respite program
   

Missouri

• Grantee: Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition
  Partner Agency: Missouri Department of Social Services, Children’s Division
  Location: St. Louis, MO
  Respite Services: Parents night out, Parent-to-Parent Network connecting families for respite through sporting events and entertainment activities, three special respite social events
   

New York

• Grantee: Erie County Foster & Adoptive Parents Advisory Board, Inc.
  Partner Agency: Erie County Department of Social Services
  Location: Buffalo, NY
  Respite Services: Stipend for summer camps, overnight and weekend event for children, crisis respite services for up to three hours
   
• Grantee: North Country Foster and Adoptive Network
  Partner Agency: Jefferson County Department of Social Services
  Location: Watertown, NY
  Respite Services: Trained respite providers, created respite services to meet individual needs of families, had a warm line for respite providers
   

Ohio

• Grantee: Athens County Foster Parent Association
  Partner Agency: Athens County Children’s Services
  Location: Athens, OH
  Respite Services: Train respite providers and have a planned respite service, emergency funding for crisis respite
   
• Grantee: Cleveland Adoption Support Group
  Partner Agency: Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
  Location: Cleveland Heights, OH
  Respite Services: Respite recreation events for children monthly
   

Oklahoma

• Grantee: Foster Care and Adoptive Association of Oklahoma
  Partner Agency: Oklahoma Department of Human Services
  Location: Oklahoma City, OK
  Respite Services: Wrap-around services for new adoptive parents with respite, respite camp experience, respite training
   

Oregon

• Grantee: A Family for Every Child
  Partner Agency: Oregon Department of Human Services
  Location: Eugene, OR
  Respite Services: Lock-in overnight for youth and respite quarterly events
   

Pennsylvania

• Grantee: Together as Adoptive Parents, Inc.
  Partner Agency: Salvation Army Children’s Services
  Location: Collegeville, PA
  Respite Services: Respite full day, youth program quarterly at YMCA
   

Vermont

• Grantee: Gay and Lesbian Adoptive and Foster Families Group
  Partner Agency: Vermont Department for Children and Families
  Location: Waterbury, VT
  Respite Services: Barter exchange system of respite services, respite reimbursement program
   
• Grantee: Rutland County Foster Parent Association
  Partner Agency: Rutland County Children and Families Services
  Location: Rutland, VT
  Respite Services: Wrote respite curriculum to recruit, train, and coordinate respite services
   

Washington

• Grantee: Families Like Ours
  Partner Agency: Boys and Girls Club of Bainbridge
  Location: Seattle, WA
  Respite Services: Quarterly respite events
   
• Grantee: Homes of Hope
  Partner Agency: Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Children’s Administration
  Location: Clarkson, WA
  Respite Services: Recruit and license homes, train volunteers, respite day camps
   

West Virginia

• Grantee: Greenbrier River Valley Foster and Adopt Association
  Partner Agency: Greenbrier Valley YMCA
  Location: Lewisburg, W. VA
  Respite Services: Bi-monthly recreational respite programs
   

Find out more about how to start a respite care program where you live by reading our manual Taking a Break: Creating Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Respite in your Community (PDF – 1.4 MB) / En Español (PDF – 1.4 MB).