YOUR SUPPORT WILL CREATE CHRISTMAS JOY FOR OVER 200 KIDS!

BACK TO SCHOOL NEEDS

Christmas is meant to be a happy time of year celebrated with family and friends. For our youth it is another reminder they are not with their family, sometimes recently placed with foster parents they barely know and removed from a network of friends they just got to meet.

You can help create a magical evening for kids, a night their minds will not be thinking about any heartache but rather enjoying a meal with other families and playing carnival games for prizes. No Christmas event would be complete unless Santa showed up with a special gift for each and every one.

Each youth receives a gift from their wish list valued at around $25 dollars. We will provide you with their name and several gift choices on an ornament and you return the unwrapped gift to us.

Now is the time to get in on the fun: 1. Donate gift(s) for youth 2. Monetary donation to help cover the cost of dinner and carnival prizes3. Volunteer at the party on December 14.4. Donate baked goods for the Sweets Walk (a favorite carnival game)

We are serving more kids now than ever, YOUR support this holiday season will create the magic in the air and put a smile on their face! Please contact Ashley Schiffer at (937) 264-0084 ext. 122 oraschiffer@choicesfostercare.com

During the summer it is important to provide activities that allow for learning experiences while school is out of session. Each summer we offer a variety of activities to keep kids on the right path; made possible by donations and our fund raising initiatives.

Activities are different from year to year. However, our independent living youth all attend Camp Kern and a select few attend the National Independent Living Conference every year.

Your support means that four youth are able to go to the conference and return to share their experience with their peers. This often motivates others to step up to the plate and make the most out of the independent living program. Kody has been in the program for a year and had a fantastic learning experience; the generosity of our donors extends far beyond the activity itself and creates a solid foundation in the lives of current and former foster youth. Thank you!

How to HelpVoice

of

VOICE OF CHOICES is the quarterly

publication of CHOICES, Inc. THIS ISSUE

Thanks to You...1Survivor Camp...2Foster Parent Spotlight...3

YOUR SUPPORT MAKES A DIFFERENCE!FALL 2012

What ’s in

YES! I want to create opportunities for kids to succeed!

Our address:1785 Big Hill RoadDayton, OH 45439(937) 264-0084

CHOICES, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charity. Contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent the law allows. Our Tax I.D. number is 31-1180182

YOU CAN DONATE ONLINE!www.choicesfostercare.com

Back to school time is here and we currently have 30 youth in our Independent Living Program. School supplies can add up quickly for youth ages 17-21, and you can help alleviate the strain on their already small budget. They will be grateful for your help!

TOP 10 ITEMS NEEDED1. 3 ring binders 1 inch and 2 inch.2. College ruled filler paper3. Mechanical pencils (with .5 and .7 lead filler)4. Black, blue ball point pens5. 3 subject spiral notebooks6. 5 subject spiral notebooks7. Single subject spiral notebooks8. Highlighters9. Pocket folders (various colors)10. Dividers for 3 ring binders

Your donation can be dropped off at our Dayton Office.

Name(s)

Address

City, State, Zip Email

Phone

I want to make a gift of:$25 $100 $500$50 $250 $1,000 Surprise Us! $

Payment Options:Check, payable to CHOICES, Inc.

Please do not publish my name in donor lists

Please charge my: VISA MC AmexCard # Exp. Date Security code:/

4 1

Thanks to You A QUARTERLY STORY

Being here and listening to other people’s

stories, you realize how good you have it.

There are some kids who paid for themselves

to come here, and I’m glad CHOICES

supported us. -Kody, Independent Living

“”

CHOICES

Journey to a FamilyWhen our youth report to us what they like about CHOICES, it is a simple list many of us take for granted. They tell us they are happy that someone asks them how school was, helps them with their homework, pays attention to them and shares a family meal together.

Ms. Poole became a foster parent in 1998 because she loves children, they keep her going and she has fun doing activities with the little ones. The older youth can be a challenge, at times it is exhausting to keep their attitude in check, but she has the drive to help young people succeed.

Her greatest joy is knowing that several of the children she fostered have moved on and are leading wonderful lives and are productive citizens. These kids are overcoming the odds; by the ages 23-24 the statistics are grim. 77% of former foster youth females have been pregnant and 81% of males have been arrested at least once.

In May, Ms. Poole adopted 4 year old Amiya that she has cared for since she was just 17 months old. When asked why she was adopting she said, “I am her Mom, and I have been the constant in her life. If not me then who? And most importantly I love her”. We have many dedicated foster parents, like Ms. Poole, that have such a love for the kids in their home.

Your support enables us to provide activities for our foster parents to bond with foster youth. Ms. Poole said that this past year she enjoyed the trip to Kings Island and she hopes that next year she can take the kids to Coney Island for a day of fun.

A foster parent adopts

If not me then, who? And most importantly, I love her...

“”

You are a key piece in creating success. Your support made these stories possible. Thank-you!

FIND US ONLINE

A SPECIAL THANK-YOU to these donors

are saying...What the kids

www.choicesfostercare.com@CHOICESIncOhio

facebook.com/CHOICESInc

youtube.com/CHOICESFosterCare

Vectren Foundation • Dippin’ DotsFranco’s Ristorante • Prime Time Party Rental

3

A Life-changing Experience Created by You

Made Possible by Community Connections

Self Discovery at Survivor Camp

Rayshawn Starts His First Job

My favorite thing about camp was the

Hierarchy Challenge, our team had to

complete a series of challenges and race

to beat the opposing team...

-Megan, age 14

“”

2

Megan and Theo, two foster youth, were able to attend Camp Kern Survivor Camp thanks to a generous private donor, CHOICES foster parent, their county worker and CHOICES summer program funds. Together you all made this opportunity possible.

Megan considers herself a klutz, and she fell down a lot through the week but she maintained a positive spirit. Despite what she believed, she discovered that she is a good dancer on dance night.

The Hierarchy Challenge was her favorite part of camp, where teams had to complete various challenges that included shelter building, knot tying, fire building, hiking and scavenger hunt in the dark.

By the end of the week she was really sore from all the activity and spent 2 days recovering, a sure sign that she had a lot of fun!

Teamwork is a HUGE part of attending camp and we would like to thank the team of people who helped to create experiences like this. You too can join our team of supporters.

We are so happy to announce that one of our independent living males has gained full time employment, with overtime pay. This is an extremely amazing opportunity that Rayshawn will have to put forth a considerable amount of hard work to keep, as he is on a 30 day probationary period. A job is so much more than a paycheck, it teaches responsibility, decision making, goal setting and the value of a hard day’s work.

The CHOICES family wishes him the best as he begins this new path, but ultimately his success

is up to him. Our staff offered encouragement and emphasized accountability when Rayshawn shared he was EMPLOYED with a big smile.

Our community partners in the Dayton region are so very important to us, and this is just another illustration of how together we can all make a difference. We thank Bart Nye and Prime Time Party Rental for helping to create this opportunity. If your place of employment has any opportunities available for our youth please contact Ashley Schiffer at (937) 264-0084 ext. 122 or aschiffer@choicesfostercare.com.

What I like about CHOICES is that they try to make your life feel normal...

“”-Foster Youth, age 15