Crazy hair shows support for foster care

KINDERGARTEN children across Geelong went wild with their hair to celebrate Foster Care Week.

The efforts, part of Meli’s Crazy Hair for Foster Care fundraiser, highlight the urgent need for more foster carers in our community.

Meli is a leading community services organisation and its foster care program receives three referrals per day to place children and young people with a foster carer.

Unfortunately, around half of these requests cannot be met because there are not enough foster carers in the Barwon region.

“Meli Kindergarten’s Crazy Hair for Foster Care initiative is a fun and colourful way to bring attention to a real and urgent issue in our community,” Meli chief executive officer Grant Boyd said.

“With 30 Meli kindergartens across the Barwon Region, initiatives like this enable us to share an important message and engage with more than 2,000 families in our network.”

“It takes a village to raise a child and we believe we can all play a role in strengthening our community so everyone can thrive.”

The Crazy Hair for Foster Care initiative is part of Meli’s Foster a Future Appeal, which runs throughout September and raises vital funds to support foster care families.

Foster Care Week (September 8 to September 14) raises awareness about foster care in the wider community and celebrates the invaluable contribution carers make to the lives of vulnerable children and young people.

This year’s theme is ‘Today’s carers, tomorrow’s future’.

To find out if foster care is for you, phone Meli on 5226 8900 or head to meli.org.au/foster-care

Meli offers ongoing training, education, and 24/7 support for its foster carers.

To donate to the appeal, head to meli.org.au/fosterafuture