RICHMOND HILL, Ga. (WSAV) - Over 300 children in Chatham County are a part of the foster care system, and Savannah’s Brightside Child and Family Advocacy said they have seen a decrease in children entering the system.
“We’re hopeful that it is because that DFCS has been doing a great job, family preservation is really strong,” said Terry Wright, Brightside Child and Family Advocacy’s Director of Development. “That means that defense is finding ways to make these families stronger and to bring awareness to the parents and to help them learn nurturing and parenting skills so that these children can stay in their family in a safe environment.”
Regardless of the numbers for the holiday season, the organization has made sure every single child is able to unwrap a present on Christmas day.
“We have very generous donors in Savannah because we feel that when a child is in foster care, the thing that they want most is to be with their family, to have a safe, loving home with their mother and father,” Wright said. “But if we can't give them that, then we're going to get the list of everything they want.”
Richmond Hill High School senior and Girl Scout, Katie Casey is one of the organization’s donors working hand-in-hand with them for years. She has created scrapbooking kits for children in foster care. Every Christmas, she donates them.
Growing up around foster children, Casey said she was able to see what they were experiencing. Through fundraising, she was able to jumpstart her passion of giving back. She told News 3 that, so far, she has donated over 200 kits to six different counties.
“We kind of hold all of our memories through photos and stuff like that,” Casey said. “It's just always been a big thing in my family, and I don't know what I would do without a camera and taking photos.”
As the need for additional supplies for children in foster care increases, she has partnered with a nonprofit fundraiser that collects shoes and sends them to Haiti. She told News 3 for every pair of shoes collected; she receives 40 cents. Last year, she raised $300 through this effort and used the funds to purchase scrapbooking supplies.
“Katie is really exceptional, and I know her family is proud, but we are also proud of her, too,” Wright said. “There's so many opportunities for children to help out the youth, to help out in Savannah.”
“It's what inspires me to keep doing it because they solidify that I’m actively making a difference in my community,” said Casey.
Casey told News 3 she will be doing her yearly kit drop-off on Wednesday. If you are interested in donating shoes, the drop off location is 22 Park of Commerce Way, Savannah Georgia.