Foster Care Awareness Month

May is National Foster Care Awareness Month, a time to recognize that we can each play a part in enhancing the lives of youth in foster care.

Here in Kern County, we have over 2,000 children in the foster care system. Foster care children spend an average of 28 months in a foster home with an estimated 10% spending more than 5 years in the system.

Kern County also has over 1,000 county resource foster parents who daily care for children in foster care. Throughout the month, the Department of Human Services will be talking with those foster parents and asking them why they do it.

By giving time, resources, and supporting local foster care and adoption organizations, we can help give Kern’s foster children hope and a forever home.

On May 4, Studio 17 teamed up with the Kern County Department of Human Services and Victory Family Services to highlight those making a difference for foster kids in our community. Watch the video below for more information on foster youth and how you can help:

Our Sponsors

Victory Family Services

Victory Family Services serves foster children and youth who have been adjudicated as dependents of the court. We welcome the opportunity to serve those up to the age of 21. We feel honor in serving various populations. This includes: Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC), Non-Minor Dependents (AB12), LGBTQ, Probation Youth and Pregnant and/or Parenting Teens. Funding to serve these populations comes from the referring entities, usually County Health and Human Services Agencies, Probation Departments or Regional Centers.

Our vision: Victory Family Services strives to provide safe, secure and nurturing homes for children and youth who have been separated from their families. We reach for this vision because we believe all children deserve loving families and hopeful futures.

Our mission: Victory Family Services supports foster children and families through continuous training, education, and development, because every child deserves Victory.

Mentors Moving

Mentors Moving is a professional moving company in Bakersfield, California specializing in providing moving services for residential and commercial customers, as well as offering packing and storage services.

What sets Mentors Moving apart from other moving companies is their mission to help foster children and young adults who are aging out of the foster care system. The company was founded in 2006 by a former foster child, Mike Linn, who wanted to give back to the community and make a difference in the lives of foster children. Mentors Moving partners with local foster care agencies and nonprofits to provide job training, employment opportunities, and mentorship for youth who are transitioning out of the foster care system.

In addition to their focus on foster care, Mentors Moving is also committed to providing excellent customer service and a stress-free moving experience for all of their clients. They have received numerous positive reviews and awards for their exceptional service, including being named the Best Moving Company in Bakersfield by the Bakersfield Californian Readers’ Choice Awards.

Overall, Mentors Moving is a unique and socially responsible moving company that is making a positive impact in the Bakersfield community and beyond.

Tel-Tec Security Systems

Tel-Tec owner and CEO Morgan Clayton is proud to be a sponsor for Foster Care Awareness Month. He wants to be a voice of positivity and bring opportunities to Foster Youth who need to feel valued and loved in safe spaces. We need to listen to them, support them and encourage them to find their spark and know that all things are possible if you believe.