FOSTER FAMILIES WEEK CELEBRATED

The important contributions of foster families are being celebrated province-wide during Foster Families Week, which runs until October 21st.

"Foster families are important to our communities," Community Resources Minister Buckley Belanger said. "They welcome children and youth in need of a safe place into their homes and Foster Families Week is our opportunity to thank them for their important work. It is also an opportunity to encourage other families to consider opening their hearts and homes to children in need of protection."

There is an ongoing demand for more foster homes, a message Saskatchewan Community Resources and the Saskatchewan Foster Families Association (SFFA) want potential foster families to hear. Approximately 2,325 young people are in foster care homes in communities across the province, including 475 in foster homes on First Nation reserves.

"The Saskatchewan Foster Families Association is proud to support foster families and their important work," SFFA president Stephen Clark said. "The compassion and caring of foster parents are reflected in their positive influence not only on the lives of the young people who come to their homes, but also on their families."

SFFA is a community-based organization that encourages, promotes, and assists foster families.

For more information about foster families visit the Saskatchewan Community Resources web site at www.cr.gov.sk.ca, or the Saskatchewan Foster Families Association web site at www.sffa.sk.ca.

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For More Information, Contact:

Dianne Shannon Community Resources Regina Phone: (306) 787-8689 Email: dshannon@dcre.gov.sk.ca