When the wish lists come from St. Charles Parish’s foster children, there are people who are devoted to giving those presents and making sure one of them includes hope.
“Christmas is a big deal for us,” said Akeem Burl, CAS’s advocate supervisor in Luling. “For CAS, it’s holding on to that little bit of hope for Christmas.”
Typically, the 24 children in foster care in the parish wish for a home. It’s one of the parish’s highest numbers of foster children that Burl’s seen in recent years.
Among them is a five-year-old who spent three years at home, but came into care when his home was deemed unsafe. Burl said his last two years have been in foster care with strangers, but Christmas provides hope.
“We want to give that back to him,” he said. “We tell him, ‘You are not with your family, but there are still people thinking about you,’ and that gift gives him hope.”
Each year, CAS volunteers help with the children’s wish list and donors help make the gifts possible. Electronics and sports items are typically among the requests, which CAS works hard to make happen, even if the electronics cost as much as Chromebooks and iPads.
To donate or volunteer, contact Donna Bliss at (985) 785-5226 or visit www.childadv.net.
“This one day on Christmas, we can make them feel special,” Burl said. “We want them to feel like a regular kid – not foster children.”
They also want them to feel loved and safe.
Although the goal is to get children out of foster care within a year by reuniting them with family, Burl said it’s possible for them to be in care two or more years depending on the case. Some of them have experienced trauma or relocated when a family member didn’t understand the demands of having a child in the household. Finding a permanent home for a child can be a challenge and take time, Burl said. If they can’t reunite the child with a parent, then the goal becomes finding a relative or adoptive placement.
But, in the meantime, CAS seeks to give them hope and generous donors who can make it happen for Christmas, as well as year round.
“There are some great people and businesses who have continued their partnership with CAS to give back,” Burl said. “They keep up every year to find out what we need.”
One woman is a regular donor, and has delivered hundreds of dollars of clothing or cash for these children. Most of the donors are regular people, he said, who make sure if a child asks for a Chromebook and iPad, they get it.
A neighboring church is a constant giver of book bags, gift baskets or clothing.
“The church prays over them and attaches a tag with an inspirational note on each one,” Burl said. “One time a hand written card sent with care packages read, ‘Dear young man, we don’t know you, but we are praying for you. Be strong. Everything will be fine.’”
Burl said it inspired him, too.
“It’s challenging and it’s emotional,” he said of being a child advocate and supervisor with CAS four years. “You’re working to change a child’s life.”
From infancy to age 18, they come into foster care and they’re lives are heartbreaking, he said. It’s also traumatic for parents to lose their children, but some parents can’t keep them because of substance abuse, Burl said. They’re children love them and want to be with them, but it’s unsafe and they don’t understand they’re in danger or that mom can’t meet their needs.
On average, 46 percent of these children are reunited with family in St. Charles Parish, he said.
“This one day is to forget all other days in foster care,” Burl said. “We just focus on this one day that makes them happy and puts a smile on their face. This is why Christmas is so important to CAS. On this one day, we can put aside their trauma and the idea they may not be going home. Just open the presents and take off the bow – be a child on Christmas.”
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