On Thursday, May 23rd, Frederick County DSS held it’s 2019 Resource Parent Appreciation Dinner which welcomed 70 attendees including 25 foster families, local DSS & DHS staff, board members, court personnel, and community partners. The event took place at the Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center, an art gallery located in Frederick, MD.
Parents were met with a warm welcome as they entered the picnic-themed banquet room decorated in hues of light blue — the official awareness color for National Foster Care Month. Guests enjoyed a table of hors d’oeuvres featuring deviled eggs, chicken salad stuffed tomatoes, and fruit. Once dinner commenced, Frederick County DSS social workers personally served families a catered, buffet-style meal.
During the event, Jeannette Jumbelick, DHS Resource Home Policy Analyst, read the state proclamation recognizing May as National Foster Care Month. County Executive Jan Gardner also provided a proclamation acknowledging this important month in Frederick County.
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Things got especially sentimental when Frederick County DSS spotlighted four families of the year: a family collectively chosen by the local DSS, a family that was honored by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, a family honored by New Market Grange, and DHS’s adoptive family of the year from last November. Prior to the event, social workers also nominated an additional eight families who have done outstanding work in Frederick County, and shared their heart-felt and personalized remarks with these families during the event. Parents also received certificates and gift cards as tokens of appreciation.
“Everyone walked out feeling good and renewed,” said Jennifer Long, Resource Unit Supervisor of Frederick County DSS. “I think everyday we are aware on some level of all the incredible things our families are doing, but when you dedicate three hours to sharing the stories about what our families are doing, not only for foster kids but for birth families as well, it really re-energizes everybody. It’s a wonderful event, and I love being apart of it.”
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In order to ensure maximum attendance and that parents could truly relax and relish in being celebrated, Frederick County DSS partnered with Mountain View Community Church to provide child care while the appreciation dinner occurred. Children enjoyed a festivity of sorts themselves as they engaged in a pizza party, face painting, and arts & crafts activities.
As a special thanks for attending, guests received a blue lunch cooler matching the event’s picnic theme. Many parents also walked away with large gift baskets after winning door prizes. To view more pictures of the event, click here.
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