Bluebird Foster Care Awareness Event This Friday at McGuffey Art Center
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Each year for Foster Care Awareness Month, communities around the country hold uplifting Bluebird events to raise awareness and support children in foster care. The bluebird is a symbol of each child currently in foster care and the events are held in the month of May.
This year the Charlottesville region’s Bluebird Event (see attached flier) will be on Friday, May 16th from 4 to 6 p.m. on the front lawn of the McGuffey Art Center. Families and community members can place their pre-made bluebirds on McGuffey’s front lawn, or they can create their bluebirds there at one of the craft tables. This free, family-friendly event is open to the public and news media.
The Foster Care and Adoption Awareness Coalition (FCAAC) puts on the Bluebird Event to raise awareness about local children currently in the Virginia Foster Care System and the need for local foster families. The FCAAC includes Community Attention Foster Families, People Places, DePaul Family Services and other organizations. This event is open to anyone in the community who is interested in showing their support or learning more about the process. Each year, the community creates bluebird works of art, one bird to represent each child in foster care. Families, children, individuals and organizations create an amazing array of inspiring bluebirds.
Children experiencing foster care and other youth in programs range from birth to 21 years of age. These children have endured trauma and adverse childhood experiences. They need compassion, stable environments and nurturing support to process these experiences and heal.
Tiffany Polychrones, Program Co-Supervisor for Community Attention Foster Families, says “In addition to joining us for the Blue Bird event, we’d also like for families to consider the possibility of opening your hearts and homes to supporting youth and families experiencing foster care. In the recent months we’ve had an increase in the number of youths in our program and are always seeking families to step in and provide nurturance, support and care to the youth and families as they strive for reunification. CAFF is immensely grateful to the resource and kinship parents that are actively providing such support and hope that others consider doing the same for families needing support in this community.”
The 2024-2025 Leaders Lab of Greater Charlottesville cohort is supporting this year’s Bluebird Event as one of their community projects. Several members of the cohort worked with local foster care agency staff to learn about the need for more foster homes and awareness in the community.
There are many ways to help our community’s young people. This year, consider stopping by to learn more about the kindness of families who take on this responsibility.
About Community Attention Foster Families
Community Attention has been providing foster care services in our area since 1976. We work with children of all ages, providing short, long and permanent placements for children that can on occasion include adoption. Community Attention is a nonprofit public program and a division within Charlottesville’s Department of Human Services.
About the Leaders Lab of Greater Charlottesville
The Leaders Lab of Greater Charlottesville is a leadership training program of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce. Current and emerging leaders practice community problem-solving and learn first-hand how people are working together on local issues.
