CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Sixth Annual Foster Care Awareness Family Day celebration was recently held at the LEAP plaza. Despite inclement weather about 450 members of the Clarksville Community gathered together to learn about foster care and what it takes to become a foster parent.

Hosted by the Department of Children Services, Centerstone, Health Connect, Clarksville Family Therapy, OmiVisions, Youth Villages, Mental Health Cooperative, and the LEAP Organization, the goal of the event was to create greater awareness of children in need who remain in state custody and want to become members of foster families.

Providing entertainment for those in attendance was Deztin “DJ” Pryor who kept the music flowing and allowed the youth who were in attendance to have fun and “cut loose” on the dance floor. The dance floor provided an opportunity for adults to have fun along with the young people who were dancing and enjoying the music. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office was represented with a repeat performance by the “dancing deputy,” Deputy Kelley Potter who reinforces the community commitment and spirit of the Sheriff’s Office.

There are many reasons that children and young adults are in the foster care system. They could be removed from an abusive home or unsafe living environment, or the death of their biological parents, leaving no relatives able to care for them. Foster Care Awareness Family Day was created to bring awareness to the need of additional foster parents and families.

Ryan Unsell who is a LEAP Resource Coordinator, and a product of foster care, shared his thoughts about foster families: “Though the time spent with a foster parent may be temporary, the love and opportunities they provide will last a lifetime.”

The month of May is when Foster Care Awareness is brought to the attention of the public, although the shortage of resource homes is an ongoing issue that is year round. The issue can be resolved if more members of the community becoming Foster/Resource Parents.

If interested in finding out about becoming a Foster/Resource Parent, view the requirements posted on the Department of Children’s Services website.

For more information on becoming a resource parent, call 1-877-DCS-KIDS.