Money. Cash Money. Dough. Dollas. Green.

I have come to realize in our licensing journey that in a sense, foster parents do need fundraising. But fundraising in a different way. More like, donations. Trying to get ready for two kids in 9 months may not cost $25,000 , but it still costs. Especially when you don't know what age/gender or how many children you will have in your home at any given time. Beds, mattresses, bedding, cribs, car seats, age appropriate toys, a few outfits at the least, high chairs, bottles, formula, shoes etc. Of course, you may not need ALL of this, depending on the age range your family picked.

I know, some will say..."well, don't you get paid to be foster parents?" or "doesn't the government give them money for that stuff?" Money is a topic not talked about very often in foster care, but many people I have talked to always tell me "what about the people who do it just for the money?"

Yes, the government does give foster parents a stipend every month for taking care of the children. Is it enough to be doing it just for the money? No. As a matter of fact, you can babysit a child in your home for only 8 hours a day, 5 days a week and make more a month then the stipend you receive for having one foster child in your home 24/7 for months/years.
My advice, if your in it for the money, just open an in home daycare. You will get paid more and have the children in your home for half the time.

Another factor in the "doing it for money" is qualification. I know that during our application process, it varies in each state, but you have to have a surplus of income after your bills , entertainment, and savings etc. and provide proof that you do(hooray for being debt free!!!). They don't want foster parents to be dependent on the stipends, because if they are, what are they going to do when a foster child leaves their home and they are no longer getting that money? It is not uncommon for foster parents to spend well beyond their stipend in order to care for the child in their care. So if a foster parent uses the stipend and still needs more, they need to have that extra income of their own. And also , if that child becomes available for adoption and you want to adopt he or she, you will no longer get that stipend once you adopt. You will need to be able to afford it on your own. Its pretty important that you do not become dependent on that money. Which leads me to....

What the stipend is actually for.
It is not for me to go buy a new car and use the stipend to make the payments.
It is not for my husband to buy a new gaming system with.
It is not for us to go on a shopping spree with.
It is not for us to throw big get togethers with.
It is not for us to put our foster child in respite care and use to go on a second honeymoon.
It is not for me to get my hair and nails done.

It is for the expense of caring for the child. Yes, it takes money to raise and care for children, and usually, it takes a good bit. That is why we receive stipends. For the extra $80-$100 on the grocery bill. For the extra $60 for the child to play soccer. The extra $20-$40 tennis shoes because the old ones are now too small. For the extra tank of gas you spend every month taking the child to and from visits with their parents and/or therapy sessions. It costs. Unfortunately, most monthly stipends would not even cover all of the things I just mentioned. Thats where your money comes in. (the foster parents money)

Yes, the government does give you (at least in our state) $100, once a year, for clothing. Will $100 buy all the clothes, shoes, pajamas, socks, underwear, coat, bathing suit that a child needs for an entire year? You guessed it, not even close. Even if you only go to the thrift stores, you are going to exceed that amount, fast.

Most foster families are not rich. Isnt that weird? Why is it the middle and lower class people who are so open to taking on these children? Why arent more people who live in mansions and make millions a year usually foster parents? Even half a million. Two hundreds....lets face it. Most foster parents are not even in the six digits. Including us! But why? Why aren't the six digits and millionaires a big percentage of foster and adoptive families? I do have a theory on that- I will save for a different post.


So, it absolutely rocks when people donate and give to foster families. And not money. Ok, money is great, but we have been extremely blessed and thankful to have received two twin mattresses and box springs (almost new!) An entire Abeka homeschool curriculum to use with our children and our foster children, a high chair, a pack n play, a car seat and 2nd pack n play (that we didn't need so we donated them to the CPS office for them to use for emergency placements), and many have given us clothing, shoes, books and toys for the future children who will be placed with us. It rocks! We feel as if we have been given $25,000! Because everything helps. Because only if your rocking out in the millions, would it be simple to go buy everything you need for one to two children, 0-5 years old, both genders, for one month up to a few years.

So to all the generous and supportive donaters that have blessed us, you rock, and you are making a difference!