Mentoring for foster youth — one of OFA’s core strengths — just got a nice boost on Capitol Hill and in the media. Check out what Tamar Abrams writes in her blog entry on The Huffington Post this week:

“As a foster parent, I know the concept of ‘forever’ can be a difficult one for children who are shuffled from one living situation to another. Impermanence can become the theme of their young lives and shadow them as they become adults. That’s why a mentor can be so critical — offering advice, providing friendship and modeling a stable, successful life. Kudos to Senator Landrieu, President Obama, the Orphan Foundation of America, our nation’s foster parents and mentors and all of those who hold our foster children close.”

Tamar’s post comes a day after President Obama signed the Serve America Act, which significantly expands volunteer opportunities and incentives in the U.S. and includes a key amendment by Senator Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana), ensuring that mentoring foster youth will be included among the national service programs eligible for federal assistance.

From Senator Landrieu’s website: “Mentoring programs that focus on children in foster care, such as those supported in the Landrieu amendment, are unique. They require specialized training and support to provide for consistent, long-term relationships for children in care.”

You can read the complete HuffPost entry HERE. Please pass it on to your friends and contacts far and wide, and add your voice to the comments.

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