BCS Together

Starting tomorrow we will be closing the Closet at Noon on Fridays. This allows our team to have a few hours dedicated to processing donations and fully restocking the Closet. We will open Monday mornings ready for all of the families and professionals we serve!

Did you know BCS Together is the implementing partner in the Brazos Valley for CarePortal? CarePortal is a care-sharing technology that drives action in our local community to meet real time needs. Caseworkers put requests into a website which notifies local responders through partner churches who then connect to families involved in the foster care system. A few weeks ago two of our program staff attended the CarePortal annual conference and learned about additional practical tools and resources to help us better support kids and families! A highlight is getting to hear from Bishop Blake who inspired the SOUND of HOPE: The Story of Possum Trot movie!

"As parents, we know firsthand that a child with our son's diagnosis requires constant activity, supervision, and mental stimulation to stay regulated, which leads to exhaustion for us as caregivers. The Thrive Project Scholarship gave him the chance to attend several weeks of a highly active, low-ratio camp. This significantly improves his quality of life by providing dynamic and unique entertainment, dramatically enhancing not only his day-to-day life but ours as a result. This also allows for much-needed respite and enables my husband and I to be much more present parents to everyone in our household." - Adoptive Mom

The Thrive Project has officially launched with the hope of relieving some of the financial burden often associated with the needs of kids who have experienced trauma. We believe that given opportunities to participate in sports, enrichment and much needed therapies caregivers feel supported and kids thrive.

This morning we hosted our annual Caregiver Appreciation Coffee. This is a sweet time for caregivers to connect with one another, receive a gift sponsored by our local Child Welfare Board and delicious coffee from The Coffee Cup.

Caring for children who have experienced trauma can take a toll on caregivers and every bit of relationship and support matters. Thank you to DWELL 68:5 First Baptist Bryan TX for hosting us and sponsoring the coffee!

Items that are donated to the Closet often carry significance beyond their obvious function. When a sweet 4 year old girl saw this puzzle her face lit up as she told our team “my Grandpa had this puzzle at his house!”

She had just been placed in a new foster family the night before visiting us and this simple item represented familiarity and comforted her. The Closet was designed to be a place of safety and when we get to serve kids newly experiencing foster care and bring a little bit of joy, it reminds us that’s what our work is all about.

Your donations matter, what may seem like a small thing can make a scary time in a child’s life a little more hopeful!