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Fostering Connections St. Johns October newsletter

Dear Fostering Connections St. Johns Supporters,

I hope you and your families are well. We are glad that the majority of our local families were not impacted by Hurricane Dorian. Our thoughts remain with residents of the Bahamas who were impacted by Hurricane Dorian.

Fostering Connections St. Johns has been busy working on program development to serve our local foster families. We continue to provide ten care packages each month to the Family Integrity Program. Our Backpack Brigade Closet has recently assisted local kinship care families. One kinship care family that we supported had a toddler who we were able to provide clothing to. Her grandmother was thrilled that she had new dresses to wear to church. Your donations are making a difference in lives of local kinship care and foster families!

We have partnered with Fostering Hope at Fruit Cove Baptist Church by supporting clothing needs for their closet program for foster and adoptive families that they serve in Northwest St. Johns County. Fostering Hope, a ministry of Fruit Cove Baptist Church, provides education programs, wrap around services, and a foster closet to serve the Fruit Cove/St. Johns community. We are so fortunate to have them as a community partner. Fostering Connections St. Johns serves all foster families in St. Johns County. It is great to partnered with an organization that is knowledgeable about local community needs and dedicated to helping foster families. Our goal as an organization is to connect all of the communities of St. Johns County together to support local foster families throughout the county. Fostering Hope was our Craft sponsor for our recent Back to School Bash for local foster families. As such, we are happy to be assisting them at their upcoming fundraiser, Move 5K, to support Fostering Hope. If you are a runner, or love power walking and would like to support their program, please visit the link below for registration info.

We will also be partnering with Flagler Health + and ABA Connection LLC to host a series of workshops for foster parents and community members beginning in November. Please watch our website and social media page for event information - Additional programming will be featured in our upcoming newsletter!

Also, our inaugural fundraiser, Popcorn & Pajamas Family Movie Night, is Saturday, October 12 from 7-9 p.m. at Palencia Park. We will be showing the family film The Secret Life of Pets 2. There will be popcorn, cotton candy, food trucks, vendor booths, and a raffle. The food trucks attending are JoyShtick Food Truck, Pele's Wood Fire Pizza, and About Time Creamery.

It will be a fun family event! Many thanks to our title sponsors Flagler Health + and sponsors O2B Kids!, The Gillis Law Firm, and Palencia Pet Clinic for supporting local foster families. Discounted tickets are available before the event on Ticket Tailor. Click the link to purchase tickets. We look forward to seeing you there!

Fostering Connections St. Johns Founder & President, Aubrie, will be meeting in October with Guardian ad Litems in Putnam County to begin building partnerships to expand our outreach programs in that area. Our board is making plans for our upcoming Holiday Drive for families in the foster care system. More information on ways you can support our collection will be featured in our November newsletter, website, and Facebook page.

We have several fundraisers coming up in November. Thank you to Jacksonville Business Connections ad Holly Jolly Shopping Spree for supporting Fostering Connections St. Johns!

Thank you for supporting local foster families. Your support is helping children in foster care have a better tomorrow!

Kind Regards,

Aubrie Simpson-Gotham, Founder & President

Fostering Connections St. Johns' volunteer team is expanding! We are in need of volunteers in the following areas:

Graphic Design Volunteers: Designing infographics for our website,creating logos for fundraisers,designing flyers for special events.

-Videography/Photography Volunteers: Assist with ongoing marketing needs to tell our story and make a difference in the lives of local children in foster care.

-Backpack Brigade Closet: Assisting with organizing and sorting clothing, shoes, and toys in our Backpack Brigade Closet and assisting with deliveries on an as needed basis.

-Advisory Council members

For full volunteer descriptions and to sign up for opportunities, please visit St. Johns Volunteers

Please join us at our October Events!

During the Handmade in the South event Fostering Connections St. Johns will be hosting a charity raffle with craft items donated by local vendors!

When & where: Saturday, October 5, 11 a.m. -3 p.m. at World Golf Village Renaissance Resort.

Handmade in the South will feature over 70 handmade and homemade creatives throughout the North Florida Area! Current vendors participating in the raffle include:

Mad Gypsy

Ink Notations LLC

Vonda's Beaded Boutique

The Whale and The Oak

MJ Metal Art

Mettatations

Chalk Courture

D. Marie Unique Art & Jewelry Ceations

Wired Harmony Handmade Jewelry

Blinged By V

Glass Flower Glasses by Cathy David

Asprika Custom Designs

Weezie's Backpacks & More

Sew a Seed

Willow's Rustic Attic

GeckoGal Gifts & Graphics

Little Hands Farm

Marsha Bags

Artisan Original Designs

Imaginations Unbound LLC

The Traded Rabbit Co

Kim's Crystal Creations

Kim's Crystal Creations

All Things Ornaments

Flaire Celebrations

Butterfly 4 Hope

Riverside Citystead

Make & Take with Young Living Essential Oils by Diane

Essential Vegan Creations

Love Reigns stop

Love bombs

Bite Out of Hunger

Dreaming of Jupiter

Ridley Straws

The Watkins Company

Stroke of Light Studio

Save the Dates!

During the Morning Market at St. Augustine Outlet Mall Charity Raffle & Toy Drive - Fostering Connections St Johns will be hosting a garage sale fundraiser!

You can drop off items to donate as early as 8 a.m. in the St. Augustine outlet mall parking lot. Items must be small such as clothes, nic nacs, etc. Everything not sold will go back to the Fostering Connections storage unit to be given to families or brought to good will or similar charity after the event.

Garage Sale Fundraiser: Saturday November 2, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the St. Augustine Outlet Mall

For more information or donation inquiries contact Aubrie with Fostering Connections St. Johns.

What's Next?

Our first family fundraiser, Popcorn & Pajamas Family Movie Night, will be Saturday, October 12, at Palencia Park from 6-9 p.m.

Proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit our outreach programs for foster families. It will be a fun family night to support our local foster families! To purchase tickets online, please visit TicketTailor.com.

Followed by...

Holly Jolly Shopping Spree - Benefiting Fostering Connections St. Johns and the Ketterlinus Elementary Music Program.

What: Soon summer will be over and cooler winds will prevail, and our eyes turn to football, décor, and our favorite recipes. At season’s end comes Thanksgiving, colder weather and the enchanting noels of Christmas. For those savvy planners who want a head start on holiday shopping—a chance to find thoughtful gifts and seasonal clothing—Holly Jolly Shopping Spree is a unique event just for you.

The tenth annual shopping spree will be held on Saturday, November 16 between 9a. and 4p. Gifts, holiday decorations, and other special treasures will be there for the picking. It is also an opportunity to support local Uptown businesses who generously support our community. Do not miss Carrera's Wine Cellar’s Sparkling Soirée to kick off the spree. The Spice and Tea Exchange will be offering cocktails and mocktails. The soirée will be held at 167 San Marco Avenue from 9am to 10am.

After mingling and sipping, catch a sightseeing trolley (Old Town Trolley Tours) for a journey designed specially for you—a whirlwind shop-a-thon that meanders along San Marco Avenue, with silent auction items and photo-booth along the way. Oh, and there is a scheduled layover at Raintree Restaurant, where you will be served a tasty lunch and have a chance to win raffle prizes. A great day of fun and camaraderie awaits. Invite your friends, relatives and other savvy shoppers you know.

The ticket price is only $45. The cost includes a trolley ride, brunch, special discounts and offers from Uptown merchants, and donation to a local, charitable beneficiary. The beneficiary will be awarded a check at 4:30p on the day of the spree at Carrera Wine Gallery.

When: Saturday November 16, 9a.m.-4p.m. 167 San Marco Avenue

Where: 167 San Marco Avenue

Tickets: https://www.hollyjollyshoppingspree.com/

And then...

We also have the Holiday Toy Drive & Charity Raffle with Jacksonville Business Connections coming up on November 17

Every year, Jacksonville Buisness Connections hosts a charity raffle at their 7th Annual Holiday Craft & Vendor Event with all proceeds going to a local organization! Vendors will donate services & items for the raffle - raffle tickets start at only $1. You can chose what items you would like to try and win (they usually have over 50 items!).

This year, Jacksonville Business Connections will be partnering with Fostering Connections St. Johns to raise money and provide toys for kids in foster care! Bring any unwrapped new toy to the event and receive a re-usable shopping bag and 1 Free ticket for the raffle!

Feeling like you need a little more?...

There are many ways to give your support! You can support our fundraiser by attending or volunteering at the event. If you own a local business, you can help support us through an event sponsorship or donate a gift basket for our basket raffle. If you are interested in sponsorships and gift basket donations, please contact me.

When you support Fostering Connections St. Johns, you are providing resources and bringing joy to St. Johns County children in foster care. You don't just give them a pair of shoes or clothing, you give them hope.