Handmade with Love!
When a group of lovely ladies who don’t want any recognition at all, crocheted 38 sets of hats and scarves and packed them with love in baggies and red tissue paper and sent them to us….we were over the moon with joy. What tells a child more than a hand made warm-and-cuddly item, that someone is thinking of them? Really nothing! 🙂
JOY!
As usual we can’t show you any faces …. but we think this picture is worth a thousand words.
When a young budding actress who has lived most of her life in foster care sees St. Joan on Broadway starring Condola Rashad and says “Oh! She looks like me! I could do that!” it gives us another reason for urgency to have full representation in entertainment!
Not only was Ms. Rashad brilliant but she was kind and generous with her time after the show.
waiting for autograph
getting autograph
gondola rashad supporting a dream
I’m going to keep this young actress’ name private here but some day you will see her in the arts, either on stage or behind the scenes.
believing the dream
She went to see Ms. Rashad perform twice with two different FYD mentors because it is rare that we see people who represent our #fostercare population in such a unique and inspiring way on Broadway. Thank you, Ms. Rashad from all of us at Foster Your Dream! 🙂 A wonderful time was had by all! 🙂
WE HAD SUCH A GREAT YEAR WE DIDN’T POST MUCH!
The winter took us to BAM film festival where we had 3 large groups of children and their caregivers enjoy awesome films! 
We applied for Corcoran Cares Grant in the winter and we got word in the summer that we will RECEIVE it in 2019! Thank you for Wendy Stark for helping us through the process. 
We took large groups to Teknopolis … 
…. Dance Africa …. (our children are not in these photos as we are not allowed to use them on our website! The photos you see on our website we take and cover their faces, or show others around them at an event, or get photos from the events themselves! This is just another reason our population is so invisible. It is considered illegal to use their likeness because their parents have not approved it and they are under 18 and are wards of the state. In other words the state is their parent and they will not approve them being used on the web. It is considered exploitation. So we do our best! News organizations do have exceptions…which is why the more news coverage #FOSTERCARE can get .. the better!) 
We also sent one emancipated student to a Cherry Lane theatre acting class! A small but powerful dream come true! THANKS for squeezing us in Reed! 🙂
This was just our first half of the year! Stay tuned for our second half.
TOY DRIVE was huge success! We collected 3 times as many toys as 2017!
In December we said: TOY DRIVE 2018 is in full swing!
You can donate new toys for any ages at the lobby of 36 west 44th Street, between 6th Ave and 5th Ave….or the Signature Theatre on 42nd street between 10th Avenue and 9th Avenue.
New and unwrapped. Any age group. Let’s make this the biggest one yet! Last year we got a letter from the commissioner:
We bring the toys to the ACS Children’s Center where all ages go when they get pulled out of their homes. The Center houses them until a proper foster family can be found. This can be days or weeks or months. Our mission with the toys is to give them a few minutes of happiness while they chose a toy to bring with them to their new foster home.
THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
IN HONOR OF ARTHUR B RUBINSTEIN, THE FAMILY HAS CREATED THE RUBINSTEIN FAMILY FUND.
Exposing Classical Music to children of all ages and backgrounds was Arthur’s passion.
In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to a special fund to honor him by clicking the donate button above on this page!
All funds will be used to support Music and Arts experiences for at-risk youth in Los Angeles and New York City. The thrill of a first concert or a first broadway musical is something that always stays with a young person. Exposure to musical education could spark another composer. Your gift of music via The Rubinstein Family Fund will be magical. Thank you.
Our first ever Holiday Toy Drive was such a success!
When a child gets pulled from their dangerous living situation they often get placed in the Children’s Center while waiting for a foster home. They are scared and sad. We decided to give them a few minutes of distraction and hopefully happiness by letting them choose a toy and bring it with them to their new home.
How did this start?
Painted Angel overlooks our Human Angels!
The angels at the Signature Theatre organized the first one for us.
Left to Right: Molly Shoemaker, Frank Gambino, Colleen Hughes, Sarah Lang
It started with a bin….
…and a few toys from patrons and staff …
… and bloomed in to a wonderful experience and inventory fun. Many thanks to Colleen Hughes and ACS!
Then another surprise happened as Nancy Sing Bock from neighboring PS51 brought over a group of students with a load of toys! Ms. Bock had walked by the Signature theatre many times on her way to her school and one day saw the sign for the FYD Toy Drive. She wanted her children to understand service and ‘giving’ first hand so they organized their very own toy drive! Literally the day before everyone scattered for the holidays, this group came by with yet another load of toys and the Signature staff and FYD was in happy and humble shock.
THANK YOU TO ALL AND LET’S KEEP THE TOYS COMING! CONTACT ME TO FIND OUT HOW TO DONATE TOYS TO US! sue wolf at foster your dream dot org (all smushed together!)