Southern Tier party has a fiesta theme
Foster Parents in the Southern Tier were honored by Global Village at a party with a theme of "Cinco de Mayo." Cindy and Jim Palmer were honored as Foster Parents of the Year (see story below).
Many of the foster parents dressed in Mexican garb for the "Cinco de Mayo" party held on May 5. Above are Dennis and Mirta Barnes, and below are, from left, Angie Ritchie, Suzi Gutknecht, Connie Cwiklinski and Joe Cwiklinski.
Jim and Cindy Palmer of Randolph have been honored as Foster Parents of the Year by Global Village Therapeutic Foster Care, a program of New Directions Youth and Family Services.
The Palmers were recognized for their dedication and commitment to the children in their care, said Michelle Colarusso, social worker for Global Village.
When the Palmers started foster parenting about eight years ago, “We were hoping to make a difference,” Cindy said.
They have three biological children: Melissa, Will and Adam. The youngest was in high school when he heard about a boy who needed a foster home.
“Adam wanted that child to have the same opportunities he always had,” Cindy said, so Jim and Cindy began to take classes with Global Village Therapeutic Foster Care in preparation for becoming foster parents. (Adam now works as a youth counselor for Global Village in the Buffalo office.)
While Jim and Cindy didn’t have the opportunity to take in the boy Adam had heard about, they have fostered 13 children, ages 4 to 20. They currently have one boy who will be 11 in June.
Some people may be surprised that older children and teens need foster care, but “they do,” Cindy said emphatically. “They need it more.”
“The older ones bring a different set of requirements than the little ones do,” Jim explained. “Often they come from a home where they were their own boss. They have to learn right from wrong, rather than just do what they want.”
If you’re considering becoming a foster parent, you should “make sure you’ve got a loving home and get ready for excitement and lots of challenges,” Cindy said. “Each child is different—We haven’t met a dull one yet.”
The Palmers found the training they received from Global Village to be so helpful, Cindy wishes that she had gone through it before her biological children were born.
The couple gets help from the agency’s social workers and youth counselors. Other foster parents also offer support, advice and an understanding of the problems unique to foster families.
“You can’t do it on your own,” Cindy said.
“The support is part of the process and makes sure it works the right way,” Jim added.
The Palmers encourage anyone who is considering becoming a foster parent to find out more because, as Cindy noted, “There are lots of children that need homes.”
To find out more about becoming a foster parent, contact Michelle Shaffer, family resource/intake coordinator, at (716) 358-3636, ext. 232.
May 2006
