KIDS Inc. Of Lake Co. Foster Adoptive Parent Association

Dear Parents and Advocates,

We would like to reintroduce our association to you. KIDS Inc. is a foster/adoptive/relative care parents association that advocates for our children and parents. We are entering our 11th year of service to our families and children in Lake and Sumter counties.

Our association has been honored with awards from the National Foster Parent Association (NFPA), and the Florida State Foster/Adoptive Parent Association (FSFAPA). We are active members with the North American Council for Adoptable Children (NACAC), and work with our Community-Based Care adoption agency, Central Baptist Family Services. We attend the monthly Alliance meetings and the quarterly district meetings in Wildwood.

Our board of directors includes: Linda Day, President  and her husband Don have 29 years of experience as a medical foster home for Children's Medical Services (CMS) Under her leadership as president of the Broward County Foster/Adoptive Parent Association, she developed a safe haven called Oasis for children that were being held for placement at the department's offices. The Oasis' staff were volunteer foster/adoptive parents that fed, clothed, educated and assisted approximately 40 children daily. Linda, was one of the first foster parents to be trained to co-lead M.A.P.P. in the state of Florida in 1989. She was recently on the Professional Development Center's committee that worked to redesign the new M.A.P.P. and has completed her re-certification. Linda was one of the parents selected by the Child Welfare Institute to provide information on the video tapes now used in the M.A.P.P. training. Linda has developed and presented several workshops: Loving With Lifebooks, Working with Biological Families, and What MAPP Didn't Teach You. Linda, currently has 9 children under 10 years of age.

Edith Gilmore, Treasurer, is an adoptive parent of 9 children. Edith has advocated for children's services for over 19 years. Edith is a M.A.P.P. co-leader and a former FAST volunteer. Edith is well respected for her work with children with severe disabilities.

Linda Parrot, Secretary, is the newest foster parent with 6 years of commitment. She has finalized her first adoption. Congratulations Linda, Nick and Brandi.

Suzanne Stevens, Director , has foster for over 23 years beginning in Ohio and is mother to 10 children and an adopted parent of 8 special needs children Suzanne won the 2002 Jefferson Award. The American Institute for Public Service created the Jefferson Awards 28 years ago for the sole purpose of promoting community service. The Jefferson Awards is often called the "Nobel Prize" for Public Service in America. WESH-TV sponsored the local program. She continually advocates for the needs of foster/adoptive parents and children's' support services. Suzanne is President of the Florida State Foster/Adoptive Parents Association, Inc. and is on the executive board of the National Foster Parent Association, as treasurer. She has developed several and presented workshops at FSFAPA's conferences, NFPA's conferences and Daniel Memorial and is a MAPP co-leader. She traveled with Tom Morton, President of the Child Welfare Institute to Israel to promote M.A.P.P. to their government. Israel selected M.A.P.P. as there pre-service training tool for licensing foster homes.

The entire board wants you to know that we are here for you during the frustrating times and the hours of great successes. We will lend you our shoulder to cry on, our ears to listen and our hands to hold you up. WE WILL BE WITH YOU!! We look forward to seeing you in 2003.