Foster Care Emergency Response

Name: Foster Care Emergency Response
Start: 2023-09-14T00:00:00-07:00
End: 2023-12-31T23:59:59-08:00

Why an Emergency Response Team?

Hope for San Diego affiliate Restoration 225 works with the County of San Diego and various agencies to provide support for children entering foster care or kinship care (child stays in the home of a relative). Often, when a child is ready to be placed, the home has not yet met all the requirements. For instance, if a kinship grandma is receiving an infant, she may not be prepared with a crib and car seat. If two children are unexpectedly arriving, bunk beds might be needed. We want to expedite homes receiving these items so that children can be placed in a home as soon as possible rather than remaining in a group shelter environment.

Our goal is for each foster and kinship family that we get connected with to feel the support of the local church and community while they are caring for children in their homes. Meeting these initial needs is a first step.

What is an Emergency Response Team?

Hope for San Diego is forming an Emergency Response Team that can respond to needs that social workers post on a platform called Care Portal. Hope for San Diego will receive the requests and blast out the needs to the Emergency Response Team, who can then respond with their availability to provide specific items, fund requests, or deliver items if needed. This team will include Hope for San Diego volunteers throughout the County to meet needs as close to home as possible.

What is the time commitment?

When you sign up to be a part of the Emergency Response Team, you will receive emails and/or text messages about once or twice per month with a list of needs. You are under no obligation to respond. You can be removed from the list any time you request it.

What are the main responsibilities?

Areas of support typically include mattresses, cribs, strollers, diapers, and groceries. You may purchase and deliver an item or give toward Hope for San Diego’s Foster Care Support fund to help pay for the items. You may also volunteer to help deliver the items and meet the family.