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Making a difference for youngsters in “Statistically, 32% of kids will
need of a home right here at home... wait 3 years before becoming
adopted; 15,000 children will
Recently, we became acquainted with Annette wait 5 or more years to be
Honstain, founder and CEO of Our Child's Advocate - a adopted; 24,000 young people
foster care support service agency located in Canton, will age out of the foster care
Michigan. OCA serves children in the Foster Care System system annually without ever
through adoption assistance, care-giver and foster family finding their 'Forever Family'.”
training and support and by providing independent living Our club has dedicated sup-
services for those who have aged-out of the system. port to Our Child's Advocate.
We were moved by Annette's own story: raised in the This year we partnered with the
system from early childhood and never finding a “forever Michigan Philharmonic to invite
home”; aging out of the system at 18; learning to navi- foster care children and fami- Annette Honstain
gate the adult world alone; and putting herself through lies to orchestra concerts plus
college and law school. Annette understands first hand we held a “super-hero” socks and underwear drive for the
where the problems are for many children in the system kids. At Christmas our club “adopted” 32 of the children
and is determined to find ways to support them. in the foster care program, making sure all had presents
According to Annette, “The U.S. foster care system under the tree.
was designed to temporarily protect and nurture children To learn more about Our Child's Advocate, please visit
whose parents are unable or unwilling to care for them, www.ourchildsadvocate.org and find ways in which you
until those parents become stronger, healthier and are in too can support their important work for children in our
a position to provide a safe and loving home for their chil- community.
dren. Sadly, too many children end up spending years in
'the system', and moving to and from foster homes, shel-
ters, and residential programs and from one school dis-
trict to another. Many never feel stable or connected,
lacking the family and community ties that are so critical
to young adults.

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