Foster care news and notes

August 20, 2012 • HQ of Hope • by
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This is an online news summary of articles related to foster care, child abuse and neglect and former foster youth. The articles are compiled by the team at Covenant and posted for your use, education and awareness.

Soothe your soul and taste buds – This is a review of Covenant Coffee by Bakersfield Californian food critic Pete Tittl - thanks Pete for the kind words and great recommendation! To read the article click here.

Unfair – What about older foster youth and their families? – Huffington Post – To read the article click here. The national database on foster care statistics, AFCARS, reports that many youth are eligible for adoption but not included in the statistics. If youth have no permanent and safe connection upon emancipation their life outcomes turn bad quickly.

State’s Ready by 21 prepares foster youth for life - Program helps kids who age out of foster care. The efforts include mentoring and life skills training. “Many agencies are working to give kids concrete skills, but all the skills in the world do not matter as much as having another human being who cares for you,” she said. “A significant adult in the life of each child will make the program succeed.” - go the article by clicking here.

Foster Care shortage in Texas leads to children sleeping in the Child Protective Services offices – When there are no families to serve and love abused and neglected children the State must turn to drastic measures. We need people to rise to the challenge and provide loving and compassionate homes. To read the article click here.

Fresno foster mother charged in child’s death- “While no one is blaming county social workers for not doing more to curtail the abuse, Mikayla’s ensuing death and the events preceding it are posing questions for a foster-care system that has seen problems in the past.” To read the article click here.

Rookie wideout Tyms runs toward future - This is an incredible story of a NFL player that came out of the foster care system and found a family through sport. To read the article go here.

To learn more about Covenant go to www.covenantcs.net – you can also stop by our Coffee House and share some time with our great youth staff and have an amazing cup of freshly roasted coffee. For more about our coffee project visit www.covenantcoffee.org

 

 

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New Hope Brewing in Oildale for Former Foster Youth

July 11, 2012 • HQ of Hope • by
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HQ of Hope on Vimeo by Covenant Media-Tim Calahan

HQ of Hope on Vimeo by Covenant Media-Tim Calahan (Photo credit: HQofHope)

OILDALE, Calif. – There is new hope brewing in Oildale, and it centers around a new coffee shop.

Covenant Community Services’ aim is to restore lives and transform generations by providing job skills and training to former foster youth.

The grand opening of Covenant Coffee marks a tangible change to an area struggling with a negative reputation.

“Oildale is known for meth problems, gang violence and poverty. We want to bring hope here, not only for those we serve, but for the entire community,” said Randy Martin, of Covenant Community Services.Covenant Coffee is a top-notch, state-of-the-art coffee boutique in the heart of Oildale.  Many customers said the new coffee shop may give the big-name shops a run for their money. ”Many of you may hate Oildale, but when you walk in here, you’re walking into some place very special. It is a place that helps people of all ethnic backgrounds. I know many people will make negitive comments on the news website, but they will be incorrect,” said Magan Hunt, a customer.

Covenant employs betwen 18 and 23 former foster youth.  Chris Schwartz works as a roaster. Many youth just like him are learning responsibility through vocational training. ”I am so thankful for Covenant. There is a whole bunch of people here who care for others they don’t even know. It’s just amazing how a group of people would come together and help foster kids,” said Schwartz.

Organizers call the new location the ”headquarters of hope” because it’s more than a coffee shop. The facility also houses their administrative offices and training center for foster families and mentors.

“We are doing more than establishing a coffee shop. We are also helping to erase blight in Oildale. It is not an empty storefront. It’s a building that we can look at and say, someone is investing in our community, rather that moving out,” said Martin.

The grand opening celebration will continue through the weekend and will provide drink specials and live music.

Covenant Community Services is a nonprofit social service organization serving foster children, former foster youth and their families in Kern County.

Covenant is located at 1700 N. Chester Avenue. It can be reached at 661-829-6999

 

To see the origin of the story by Mark Christian of Channel 23 in Bakersfield and to watch the video news clip go to this link - http://www.turnto23.com/north_river_county/31251329/detail.html
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HQ of Hope remodel underway in Oildale

July 8, 2011 • HQ of Hope • by
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The work has started at 1700 N Chester Ave. In Oildale, California. The Headquarters of Hope, a new coffee house and offices for Covenant Community Services (Covenant), is now under construction.

Covenant has great plans for the property including a top-level coffee house, coffee roasting facility open to the public, and group meeting space in addition to Covenant’s administrative and program offices.

Come and visit the new HQ of Hope. Bring your work gloves and invest in hope with labor, skills, talent and prayer. We need partners to make hope a reality. Come join the movement.

Another way you can give hope and invest is through financial giving. We need finances to complete the remodel and move in. Please consider giving to Covenant today so we can continue to chase the dream and vision and help youth and children do the same.

Blessings

Randy Martin

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