On April 12 of this year, For The Seventh Generation Executive Director Lorraine Weber made a bold commitment.
“In 2013 we were able to serve more than 500 foster children, families, and teens both in and aging out of the foster care system,” she told the crowd at the organization’s In Seventh Heaven fundraising event. “With your help, our 2014 goal is to help 1,000.”
Three months later, the foster children’s charity is on track to meet that commitment; during the first half of 2014, 457 cases involving children, teens, and foster families in need were resolved through community donations facilitated by For The Seventh Generation.
“We have a unique, low-overhead approach built around our website, www.fortheseventhgeneration.org, that foster care workers use to register the items and services needed by the children and families they serve – and that donors use to register their gifts,” Weber explained, “and we bolster that site with a heavy social media and communications program so people are aware the needs exist.
“In other words, we’re just the conduit – the people in our community are the ones getting this job done.”
Weber also cited the addition of Help Closet Coordinator Shirley Roseman as a main driver behind the nonprofit’s success.
“Shirley doesn’t just organize our Help Closet and introduce service donors like orthodontists to the foster care workers who have registered requests,” Weber said. “She has also created events like our recently-completed Busy Bee Book Fair and Prom Palooza, and this year will be the third installment of our Holiday Bazaar for Foster Children – another of her fantastic ideas that have moved us forward.”
So far in 2014, For The Seventh Generation and its music program, Play It Forward, has received help in the form of a $2,000 grant from the Detroit Industrial School to purchase beds and cribs; Optical World of Detroit and the Detroit Optometric Society, which worked together to provide emergency glasses for a young man in foster care; and more than $1,500 from the second Motor City Songbird’s Festival on June 27.
Most recently, Meritor Commercial & Industrial of Troy raised $3,400 for the organization during its July 11 Jeans Day.
Individual contributors have also played a large part in making sure area foster children, families and teens have a chance to thrive. According to Roseman, Elyse H. and Kathy M. are among the individuals who count among many community “superstars.”
“Elyse has come through for us time and again,” Roseman said. “Most recently, she went out and purchased several brand new beds and cribs!
“And back in March, Kathy saw our Facebook post advertising an urgent need for a crib and went to the store and purchased a new one the very same day.
“As far as I’m concerned,” Roseman continued, “these women, and all of our supporters, are true superstars—and real role models for the rest of us.”
Weber added that credit is also due to the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association Foundation (DMBAF), which helped found and continues to support For The Seventh Generation’s efforts.
“The DMBAF remains our backbone, even as we are growing beyond the support that they alone are able to provide,” she explained. “The fact is, we wouldn’t be here if the DMBAF hadn’t come forward to fill the needs of foster children, families, and teens as part of its commitment to the community.”
Weber also serves as the executive director of the DMBAF.
Founded in 2005 by DMBAF, For The Seventh Generation matches donations of goods and services with foster children, families, and teens both in and aging out of the foster care system.
In addition to its website, the organization holds special events for foster children and teens, hosts a Help Closet with clothing, furniture, and other items, and provides free instruments and music lessons through the Play It Forward music program.
The charity is currently in the midst of a Christmas In July for Foster Children drive to collect toys and other items for its third annual Holiday Bazaar. The drive ends on July 31.
For more information, including how to volunteer or make a donation of goods or services, visit the charity’s website at: www.fortheseventhgeneration.org or its Facebook page: www.facebook.com/fortheseventhgeneration.
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