Missouri has lost almost 270 foster homes since the COVID pandemic started

The Central Missouri Foster Care and Adoption Association (CMFCAA) has started a campaign to try to recruit foster and adoptive families.

CMFCAA spokesman Gerry Tritz tells 939 the Eagle that the need is urgent. He notes Missouri has lost 267 foster homes since the March 2020 pandemic.

“And these are children who through no fault of their own, they’ve been separated from their biological family. And as many people know the importance of family can’t be overstated. You know, we know that finding loving homes for these kids will give them a better chance for a bright future,” Tritz says.

There are currently 13,689 Missouri children in foster care, according to the latest numbers from the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS). Tritz and the CMFCAA are asking you to consider becoming a foster or adoptive parent and welcoming one of these children into your home. The organization is starting a yearlong campaign. Their message is simple: these children need love and a stable family.

“The statistics are very clear that if you age out of foster care and you do not have that stability, if you don’t have something to guide you once you get out of there, your outcomes in life are not going to be nearly as good as they could be,” says Tritz.

He says statistics show that within one year, many people who age out of foster care without a support system end up in jail or with an unplanned pregnancy.

All of the services offered by the CMFCAA are free.