There are nearly 600 children in the Charlotte foster care system because of neglect,
physical and sexual abuse, drug addiction, and domestic violence. When they arrive at a foster
home they usually come empty-handed and with little notice.
Foster Village Charlotte shows up on doorsteps within 24 hours, providing welcome
packs to help families give their new foster child essential items, so the families can
remain fully present with a child adjust to transitions and unknowns instead of running to stores
to grab basic supplies.
“As a foster parent myself, I can tell you that the journey isn’t easy,” Becky Santoro, co-founder of Foster Village Charlotte, said. “In fact, more than half of foster families won’t open their doors to another child citing lack of support and secondhand trauma.”
Those are some of the reasons why Santoro created Foster Village Charlotte. Their goal is to equip, connect and advocate for foster families doing the critical work of being first responders to hope and healing.
Foster Village Charlotte creates a village of support for our local children in foster care and those caring for them by meeting urgent needs, providing support to stabilize foster homes, and advocating for lasting change in the child welfare process. Foster Village Charlotte is a community beyond the system.
“Severe toxic stress over time directly impacts a child’s brain development, the nervous system,
and the body’s stress response,” Santoro said. “Research is clear that stable healthy relationships with
caring adults can impact and even prevent the damaging effects.”
Foster Village Charlotte was awarded $25,000 as the SEED20 Wells Fargo People’s Choice award winner.
With the SEED20 grand prize, Charlotte Foster Village hopes to create a centralized location. Having a physical space will allow them to scale their infrastructure, broaden their programs and deepen their impact to include more foster families across Charlotte.
An annual competition for nonprofit entrepreneurs took the stage last month. Some of the Charlotte region’s most innovative thinkers will challenge themselves and the community and compete for $45,000.
Created by Social Venture Partners, the annual SEED20 program identifies, highlights and connects the community to the region’s most innovative ideas for tackling pressing social challenges.
The innovations can be developed by an individual or startup with a well-formed idea, an emerging nonprofit or a well-established nonprofit with a new program.
“SVP is a venture membership organization, and collectively, we invest our money, skills and time to those who are attacking social and economic problems,” Susan Daniel, executive director of Social Venture Partners, said.
Each year, over the course of two months, a class of 20 nonprofit participants receives training, coaching, feedback and mentoring on how to succinctly and powerfully tell their story – who they are and why they matter.
“The Foster Village Charlotte resource center will be a safe haven. A place where families will come again, and again, and again,” Santoro said. “Providing stability at a time where there isn’t much and giving resources and strength to families.”
If you have an inspiring story to share, email Kevin Campbell, public affairs manager for WSOC-TV, WAXN-TV and Telemundo Charlotte, at kevin.campbell@wsoctv.com.
Cox Media Group
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