Foster Parents Wanted

    Pulaski county churches are reaching out to foster children in Arkansas by helping them find parents among parishioners.         As it stands today, there are more than 700 children in the foster care system, and that number has risen as high as 1200 in recent past.
    So with just over 200 foster homes currently available, the local church community has decided it's time for a change.
    As of today, there are 3,850 children in the foster care system across the state.
    There are only 954 homes available.
    It's information like that that led Mary Carol Pederson to establish "The Call."
    “The Call is an exciting new initiative. It's a collaboration between the Division of Child and Family Services and Arkansas churches,” says Mary Carol Pederson, steering committee chair for “The Call.”
    The 20 plus churches that have signed on to this effort have a simple goal, to clean out the foster care system, starting with Pulaski County.
    "Our goal is to have no waiting children in foster care in Pulaski County by November of 2008,” Pederson says.
    That means recruiting and training 250 new foster families.
    “The Call” has already put 20 families through training.
    And even though those involved know that road will be long and winding, they're determined to make it to the end.
    "It's my job as a Christian to do it, to take care of the orphans, to take care of children in need, it's not that state's responsibility,” says foster parent Christie Erwin.
    If you're interested in learning more about "The Call," especially the organization's upcoming informational dinner, just visit the group’s website, www.thecallinarkansas.org