The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services’ new campaign is encouraging Louisianans to “Be There” for families in need this holiday season. Secretary Terri Ricks says even a small deed can make a huge impact on a child or family in your community.
“I can tell this child needs a coat. What if I were to get that coat for them? This child goes to the same school as my child does. Maybe I can offer to take this child home every day.”
DCFS assists one in four Louisianans every year including food assistance, child support services, and financial assistance.
Ricks says that currently there are more than 41 hundred children in Louisiana’s foster care. She encourages everyone to provide help or open their homes to youth who have no place to go.
“Support a foster family or become a foster family. And also to support like those birth families in their special ways.”
This year, the 211 Statewide Network has made more than 267 thousand referrals to services. It has helped meet more than 159 thousand needs for residents.
Ricks says there were more than 11 hundred unmet needs due to a lack of available resources. She says if you know anyone who needs resources like food, housing, utility assistance, or clothing…
“For yourself or someone else can pick up the phone, call 211 to find resources or people in your community that you think might need some.”
Visit BeThere dot Louisiana dot gov to learn more about programs and resources.
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