RELEASE: December 12, 2001

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TRENTON - Acting Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco and James W. Smith, Jr., acting commissioner of the Department of Human Services, honored community volunteers and organizations for supporting New Jersey’s children in foster care during a ceremony celebrating Foster Children’s Day today.

"In our state alone, there are thousands of children whose parents are unwilling or unable to care for them," said Acting Governor DiFrancesco. "That situation can be devastating for any child. Foster parents play a vital role in the life of more than 6,300 New Jersey children, providing shelter, food, clothing and love and support to children in need."

Foster Children’s Day was established last year to increase awareness of the needs of New Jersey’s foster children. Currently, 65 percent of foster children are siblings and 50 percent are under the age of five.

"Today, we honor those individuals and groups who give hope and help to our foster children," said Acting Commissioner Smith. "It’s a long list and that’s no surprise considering the overwhelming response we had to this year’s Gift of Warmth Challenge.

For this year’s Foster Children’s Day, the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) collected scarves, hats, gloves and mittens to bring attention to New Jersey’s children in foster care. Many of the donated gloves and mittens were then used to decorate a holiday tree in the Trenton War Memorial lobby. All of the clothing items will be distributed to foster children throughout the state in time for the holidays according to DYFS Director Charles Venti.

"We need more people like those we honor today to make a commitment to our foster children," said Smith. "Giving love and guidance to our children will make you feel like the mittens, gloves and hats we have collected- warm all over."

Those individuals and organizations honored for their work on behalf of New Jersey’s foster children were:

• Former foster child and child advocate Heather O'Neill of Highland Park, Middlesex County
• Laura Orsini and Katy Trotter of Red Bank Regional High School
• Trenton Mayor Douglas Palmer
• Camden Children's Garden
• Child Placement Advisory Council
• Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of New Jersey
• Philadelphia Eagles Youth Partnership
  and
  
• Prudential Insurance Company of America
  

To learn more about foster parenting, visit the DYFS foster care web site at http://www.njfostercare.org or call toll-free 1-877-NJ-FOSTER.

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