Destiny launches new program to change the culture of local foster care

Launched January 2019, Destiny Community Center has launched a new foster care program in Rocklin, California. A long-standing county-wide problem, Destiny poses a solution through practical resources and partnerships. They are piloting a new model of care that incorporates trained resource homes in geographical regions (they call them "hub homes") provides connection, resource and support for foster children, foster parents and biological family throughout Placer County.

Focusing this network of support on better equipping and connecting the foster homes and biological families together has proven to be incredibly successful in states such as Washington and Hawaii by keeping children in safer homes, reducing the number of home moves and exposure to traumatic events. Destiny sees the success of this pilot not only benefitting the families of Placer County but growing to assist neighboring counties such as Sac County and Butte County. 

Committed to find every child a safe home, Destiny Community Center now hosts onsite monthly orientations for all individuals interested in learning more about the approval process to become a foster parent. Additionally, providing parent and caregiver education onsite at the Destiny Community Center through classes like Love & Logic and Co-Parenting, both biological family and foster parents receive preventative help and crisis support. Destiny understands that not everyone can become a foster parent but believes that everyone can do something, so a portion of the new initiative includes opportunities for community members to support foster families with tangible resources like meals and home maintenance and to support foster children and their sibling monthly at events like their new Teen Foster Respite Night. After hearing from county officials of the need for local foster teen support, Destiny hosted the first ever in this area Foster Respite Night specifically for teens in their 65,000 square foot facility complete with a pop-up clothing shop for students to shop in for free, inclusive activities like archery tag and corn hole tournaments and even an assembly with full lightshow and inspiring messages from foster youth graduates. Destiny knows that the success of this initiative hinges on the community coming together to support families. Destiny is focusing its efforts on working with local agencies, businesses and other non-profits to provide the best possible resources to families in need.