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| Guiding Principles of the Ohio Adolescent Health Partnership |
On Friday, December 13, 2024, Lisa Dickson presented for the Ohio Adolescent Health Partnership.
Here's a link to her presentation, which focused on:
Milestones are markers on the road on the journey to make things better. Grateful for the work of so many foster care youth, alumni and allies over the past 25 years to improve the immediate circumstances and long term outcomes of foster youth.
Ziigwan Frazer is a 24-year old mom of two. Her nine years of experience in foster care and juvenile detention have fueled a deep desire to serve and uplift others through local, state, and federal advocacy efforts. To envision and create a better serving system for Fosters, by Fosters. After graduating in 2022 with her BSW, Ziigwan obtained her current role as the Policy and Advocacy Manager for a Minnesota nonprofit called Foster Advocates that elevates Fosters expertise and vision for change through state policy and organizing efforts.
In 2020, Ziigwan participated in an Education Leadership Team, identifying bold solutions to address the education gap for former foster youth. From that work came the Fostering Higher Education Act, the most robust college support in the country for Fosters.
This Act passed in 2021 and went into full effect in 2022. Thanks to this legislation, any young person who experienced foster care in Minnesota for at least one day after age 13, is eligible for their full cost of attendance to be covered - including tuition, books, housing, food and transportation support.
Addressing the education gap doesn't only impact access to higher education. It stabilizes housing, it creates food security, it allows young people with a foster care history to successfully move forward to build their futures.
In addition to their work on education, Minnesota foster care youth and alumni advocates were able to successfully establish an Office of the Ombudsperson for Foster Youth in 2022. They are currently working on the creations of a Foster Bill of Rights, which is scheduled for introduction to the Minnesota legislature in January 2025.
For youth who have experienced foster care firsthand, the holidays can be a painful reminder of loss and lack of family support. For this reason, ACTION Ohio hosts annual early Thanksgiving Together gatherings for current and former foster youth. This annual celebration began in 2007 and has continued ever since. As former foster youth ourselves, we want our brothers and sisters of the system to know that they always have a seat at the table for Thanksgiving.
In 2024, three Thanksgiving Together celebrations took place in NE, SW and Central Ohio. Each event included resource tables, handmade blankets and other giveaways. Participants were welcome to sign their name on fabric leaves, which were ironed onto a Chosen Family Tree. They were also invited to participate in the Open Mic portion by sharing something they are grateful for and/or one of their recent accomplishments. Their personal progress and valuable insights were applauded.
2024 Central Ohio Thanksgiving Together for current and former foster youth took place on Sunday, November 24, 2024 from 1:00 – 4:00 pm, at the Reynoldsburg High School’s Summit Campus, 8579 Summit Road, Reynoldsburg OH 43068.
2024 Southwest Ohio Thanksgiving Together for current and former foster youth took place on Saturday, November 23, 2024 from 1:00 – 3:00 pm, at the United Way of Greater Cincinnati, 2400 Reading Road, Cincinnati, OH 45202.
Link to more photos.
This event was made possible by support from United Way of Greater Cincinnati, Midwestern Plumbing Service, Easley Blessed Foundation, NOaR, Velda Hofacker and My Very Own Blanket.
2024 Northeast Ohio Thanksgiving Together for current and former foster youth took place on Saturday, November 16, 2024 from 1:00 – 3:00 pm, at the North Canton Chapel, 715 Whittier Ave. NW, North Canton OH 44720.
The dinner included a meta-moment, when three participants recreated a photos from 2013 NE Ohio Thanksgiving Together. Same pose, 11 years later.
This event was made possible due to support from Melanie Montgomery of Hope Bridge and My Very Own Blanket. OHIO YAB Youth Ambassador Lyric Ruffin also dedicated her time to help plan and prepare for this event.
On Tuesday, November 12, 2024, ACTION Ohio member Gabriella Craft gave legislative testimony before the Senate Finance Committee about the need for the state of Ohio to establish Foster to College Scholarships.
Link to individual photos.
Nikki Chinn's Spooktacular Celebration of Life took place on Friday, November 8, 2024 at the Whetstone Park of Roses. Mal worked incredibly hard to enact Nikki Chinn’s specific instructions. Nikki’s attention to detail was unparalleled, so this was no easy task. Thank you, Mal, for reflecting your love for Nikki in this way.
When facing a terminal medical condition, people react and respond in different ways. For Nikki Chinn, this took the form of dark humor and taking control of the situation. Participants commented that it felt like Nikki was there. They could tell that she wanted them to party in the face of death and to remember her fearless strength.
Participants shared what they love and remember about Nikki - stories about her advocacy and how how their lives intersected with hers. The most painful part was watching a young family member of Nikki’s cry. He is currently in foster care, and she was always his fiercest advocate. She even recorded her voice on a Build-a-Bear so that part of her would be with him.
On Friday, November 8, 2024, Gabriella Craft and Lisa Dickson presented at The Ohio State University about the Fostering Achievement Network. Over 20 future champions showed up to be of support.
Link to more photos.
Link to slides from presentation.
Link to video of what Lisa shared.
On Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, Caidyn Bearfield was awarded the Nikki Chinn Champion of Change Award. Caidyn's dedication to creating positive change is reflected by many things, including:
In the giving of this award, we were also all reminded of the legacy of Nikki Chinn. Her fierce and fearless heart, her protectiveness of youth who experience abuse, and her brilliant brain that always remembered every detail and was able to create countless lists of resources for others.
On Wednesday, September 25, 2024:
Both Big Table events were focus on improving outcomes for young people in and from foster care. Here is a link to a document that illustrates how statistics are influenced by systemic factors.
The Big Table is a community-wide day of conversation hosted by The Columbus Foundation that aims to inspire civic engagement and authentic human connection. The goal is to build momentum for a just and kind future for all. Volunteer hosts are equipped with a guidebook and materials to help facilitate discussions, in order to create open and natural conversations where all voices are hear.
It was a sweet surprise for ACTION Ohio Communications Chair Lisa Dickson to receive an award from the Junior League of Columbus. ACTION Ohio deeply appreciates JLC, and loves partnering with them on state legislation and the annual Central Ohio Thanksgiving Together event. They truly care about improving outcomes for young people in and from foster care.
On Friday, September 6, 2024, ACTION Ohio Communications Chair Lisa Dickson presented for the Junior League of Columbus about seeking better safeguards for youth who run away to escape from abuse.
Here's a link to slides from her presentation.
ACTION Ohio (Alumni of Care Together Improving Outcomes Now) is a volunteer group of foster care alumni whose initiatives include Suits for Success, Thanksgiving Together and facilitating the statewide youth advisory board.
OCJ Kids, which stands for Opportunity, Community and Justice, exists to provide opportunities for the faith and business communities to impact the lives of foster youth. This organization is located in Arizona, but they partnered with the Assemblies of God to host a national youth conference in Columbus from August 5-9.
The Fine Arts Festival was designed by Assemblies of God Youth Ministries to help students discover, develop, and deploy their gifts, abilities and talents. On the fourth day of the festival, youth participants participated in an outreach project focused on resources for youth aging out of foster care. They packed 200 duffel bags to donate to foster youth.
Representatives from ACTION Ohio and the Columbus Scholar House for Former Foster Youth assisted with packing and transporting these items to Franklin County Children Services.
Ohio foster care youth, alumni and allies continue to share their voices to advocate for companion bills House Bill 164 and Senate Bill 182. Many thanks to ACTION Ohio ally member Kim Eckhart and to the Junior League of Columbus for their tireless efforts.
These two bills mirror one another in their efforts to enact sections 3301.95 and 3333.89 of the Revised Code to establish the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program, to require the Department of Education to hire a full-time school foster care liaison, and to make an appropriation for the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program.
House Bill 164 has 58 co-sponsors, and on June 12, 2024, it passed in the Ohio House of Representatives with a vote of 84 in favor and three against. So, current efforts are focused on supporting the Senate version.
Link to more photos.
The Leadership and Life Skills Summit took place on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at the Crowne Plaza North. This was Ohio's first statewide life skills summit for current and former foster youth since the pandemic. For the past five years, Ohio foster care youth and alumni have been brainstorming about how to make this event happen once again. Last year’s Self Care Summit was to help lay that groundwork.
The purpose of this event is to inform and empower young people (ages 14-24) who have experienced out of home care. We received RSVPs from Allen, Athens, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Cuyahoga, Delaware, Franklin, Geauga, Greene, Hamilton, Highland, Lake, Licking, Lorain, Lucas, Mahoning, Miami, Montgomery, Pike, Preble, Putnam, Ross, Vinton, Sandusky, Summit, Trumbull and Warren Counties.
We are deeply grateful to the Ohio Children’s Alliance for partnering with us on the Aging Out Institute grant, which covered the cost of meals during this event. We also truly appreciate those who have supported the gathering, transport and distribution of Suits for Success. Without Velda Hofacker, Bethany Workman, Sarah Saunders, Jaye Turner, and an amazing team of staff volunteers from the Department of Children and Youth, successful transportation of approximately 950 brand new clothing items would have been impossible.
This summit embodied “lived experience” because every workshop reflects the insights and input of current and former foster youth. Nine of the 11 workshops were facilitated or co-facilitated by current or former foster youth. There was also a learning track for with CEUs for adults who transported youth. Adults were required to transport youth in order to be eligible.
On Friday, May 24, 2024, Lisa Dickson and Bethany Workman prepared, bagged and packed up as many items as we could for transport on June 10, 2024 (the day before the Summit).
Thanks to Velda, we now have 500+ items of clothing for young women, in addition to the 300+ brand new clothing donations for young men.
Deeply grateful to Velda Hofacker for providing women's clothing for the 2024 Leadership and Life Skills Summit, and for coming in two extra Fridays in May to help sort Suits.
As we prepare for the June 11th statewide Leadership and Life Skills Summit for current and former foster youth, ages 14-24...
We are deeply grateful that we are receiving clothing for young women, in addition to the 300+ brand new clothing items for young men.
Link to more photos.
On Friday, March 15, 2024, ACTION Ohio facilitated a second Suits Sorting Day at Buckeye Ranch. We were deeply grateful to have Velda Hofacker, a long-time supporter of this effort, and her friends assist.
On Friday, March 8, 2024, with help from the wonderful Kristy Mullins and Tonya Gephard, Lisa was able to pick up the remaining men's professional clothing items from the Veteran Housing Program in Chillicothe. They had received a large donation of brand new suits from Men’s Wearhouse, and weren’t able to distribute the smaller sizes so they donated them to us for foster youth.
ACTION Ohio has ordered 10 wheeled clothing racks and will do another Suit Sorting this month. News to come in the future regarding young women’s clothing drive. All items will be freely available for current and former Ohio foster youth during the statewide Leadership and Life Skills Summit in June.
On Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, ACTION Ohio facilitated a Suits Sorting Day at Buckeye Ranch. We were deeply grateful to have Velda Hofacker, a long-time supporter of this effort, and her friend assist.
On Wednesday, February 7, 2024, the Junior League of Columbus hosted a community panel.
Panelists included:
Went to Chillicothe to pick up suits today...
The first four photos are what I was able to fit in my car:
