RELEASE: December 9, 2003

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Media Advisory
Governor McGreevey and Commissioner Harris to
honor youth and organizations for Foster Children’s Day

TRENTON—Governor James E. McGreevey and Department of Human Services Commissioner (DHS) Gwendolyn L. Harris will honor community volunteers and organizations for helping New Jersey’s foster children during a ceremony on Friday, December 12th at 11 a.m. at the Trenton War Memorial to celebrate New Jersey’s 4th Annual Foster Children’s Day.

Foster Children’s Day was established in 2000 to increase awareness of the needs of New Jersey’s more than 7,000 foster children. Children may be placed in foster care when they cannot safely remain in their own home because of abuse or neglect. Currently, 65 percent of foster children are siblings and 50 percent are under the age of five.

This year’s theme is “Sweet Dreams,” culminating a campaign drive which collected new books and new pajamas for children in foster care, some of which will be on display. Special guests will include Ed Cotton, Director of the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) and Buddy the Foster Care Bear [who will hand out teddy bears and plaques with the Governor]. Individuals and organizations to be honored for their work on behalf of New Jersey’s foster children include:

• Shannon and Kaity Hresko of Greenwich Township, Gloucester County – 8th grade twins at Nehaunsy Middle School collected the teddy bears during April - Child Abuse Prevention Month - to benefit foster children. Bears and other stuffed animals were given to Gloucester and Camden Counties’ DYFS offices to distribute to children entering foster care. The girls’ community service drive also promoted the need for more foster parents.

• Troop leader Vinita Ramsay, co-leader Starr Diethorn, and Girl Scout Troop 161 of Long Valley, Morris County – Sarah Gail Banford, Michelle Margared Bayman, Stephanie Beggin, Moriah Diethorn, Judy Morrell, Christine Morrison, Resham Ramsay, H. Victoria Sonderly, Corrin Wolf; and Aakash Ramsay from Boy Scout Troop 236 – established a foster care merit badge for girls to earn. They’ve raised awareness of the needs of foster children; provide Halloween costumes, collect toys for the holidays and backpacks for children in foster care. Their February “Love Drive” collected toiletries and other items for foster children, and this year Troop 161 is sponsoring the holiday party for the foster children of Morris County.

• Reverend Sandra Bracket and Reverend Lawrence Forman of Lawnside, Camden County - every year their Sunday School at Mt. Pisgah AME Church in Lawnside hosts a Christmas party for children in foster care. Each invitee is given a gift from their wish list.

• Kathy Mercer of Pine Hill, and Dignity for Children (a group of women from Camden County) - for the past three years they have sponsored a ballroom dance at the Starlight Ballroom in Pennsauken, courtesy of Joyce Handley, with the proceeds benefiting foster children. Besides providing for foster children at Christmas, they also have a fund that can be used for special requests for foster children like music lessons or a gym membership

• Ron Greenblatt of Vineland, Cumberland County – his Matt Blatt Car Dealership has provided a gift for every child in foster care in Cumberland County for the past five years.

• Dr. Sunanda Gaur of North Brunswick, who works at Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center in New Brunswick, Middlesex County - an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the NJ Statewide Family Centered HIV Care Network, Dr. Gaur participates in the DYFS Child Health Advisory Council and has assisted with the subcommittee looking at Medical Health Records. She brings her expertise in the area of HIV and pediatrics to the Commissioner's Substance Abuse Work Group; provides direct patient care; works with many children under DYFS supervision, particularly those residing in foster care; and has been an advocate for foster and adoptive parents who are caring for a child who is HIV positive. Dr. Gaur also assisted the Division with updating DYFS policy on HIV and is currently working with the Adolescent Services Unit in helping to address the needs of youth transitioning into adulthood.

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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