At Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation our programs are structured to meet the specific needs of foster children. Whether big or small, typical or unusual, we are here to bridge the funding gap and provide North Texas' foster children with the normal childhood experiences they deserve.

Listed below are a variety of our programs as many of the requests we receive fit into categories. Still, the heart of the organization stems from the fact that we know each child is unique and has individual needs. Whether a wish falls into one of these categories or not, all requests that meet our guidelines are considered and most are funded. A prime example of this is that we purchased a pig and a goat so that two of our foster children could participate in Future Farmers of America. Another is that we sent a young girl to Florida for Christmas to visit her aging grandmother, her only living relative.

Extracurricular Activities: Experiences like band, gymnastics, or ballet lessons can be invaluable in the enrichment of an abused child's self-image, but are not funded by the state. We spent $25,000 last year to make sure nearly 200 children were able to participate in the extracurricular activities of their choice. These activities are wide ranging, but all help our kids round out the school experience.

 

Tutoring: The average child in custody moves an average of three to four times per year until a permanent placement is found. As a result, even the best students fall behind in school and need a little extra help.

Preparation for Adult Living: We assist the Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) program of Child Protective Services (CPS) with their graduation celebration for those children who have completed the PAL program and are graduating from high school. Whether it is a sit down dinner or an afternoon of pizza and bowling, we are proud to help the 130 to 150 youth celebrate their graduation every year.

College Scholarships: Scholarships are awarded to those young adults who continue their education at State colleges, universities or vocational training facilities after foster care. We currently have 44 students on scholarship, spending almost $60,000 a year to assist them in pursuing their education.

Over the years we have seen many of our students graduate from college, several have even gone on to get their masters degrees. The pursuit and completion of higher education is proof that these children with pasts of abuse have the hope to break the cycle of violence and become confident and independent adults that contribute to society.

Specialized Medical Equipment: Distributions are made on a case by case basis for any medical equipment or expense not covered by state Medicaid or insurance; for example, special wheelchairs, breathing apparatus, physical therapy equipment, special medication, medical exams or treatment.

Orthodontics: We often hear from caseworkers that a child will not smile because of the condition of his or her mouth. When the problem is cosmetic and Medicaid will not pay, Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation steps in to make sure that the child gets the work he or she needs done which can make a huge difference in a child's self-esteem.

We have also assisted with teeth implants, even jaw reconstruction when there were areas of the procedure that were not covered by any insurance or Medicaid. At present, we are assisting with orthodontic work for seven youth, committed to spending more than $25,000.

Eyeglasses: Medicaid will provide foster children with one pair of eyeglasses a year, but if those break, they cannot get another pair until the New Year. We have provided replacement glasses, upgrades from the Medicaid choices, even contacts for teens in need of a boost to their self-image.

Emergency Clothing: Often children come into foster care with only the clothes on their backs. While often the counties will provide "emergency clothing" in that situation, most of these children need more than what is provided. Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation makes sure that these children get what they need.

Teen Back to School Project: This project makes it possible for teenagers (children 14 and over) in foster care to purchase new clothing for this important time of the year. We provide each child with a gift card to a popular clothing store and let them pick out whatever they want to wear for that first day of school. For many of these children, this is the first time that they have ever had the privilege of wearing something new that they picked out for themselves.

"Winter Hugs" Coat Project: Each winter Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation keeps foster children warm through the "Winter Hugs" Coat Project which provides more than 1,500 new winter coats. We work with a local retailer to set up two weeks for our children to "go shopping" for their new coat using vouchers so they can pick out something special for themselves.

Adoption Expenses and Assistance: Placement visits can make the difference as to whether or not an adoption takes place. While it pays for the child's expenses, the state provides no travel assistance to adoptive families. Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation also helps with adoption filing fees and occasionally pro-bono legal assistance is coordinated as needed.

"Kids to Kamp" Summer Camp Project: Each summer, Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation allows hundreds of foster children to attend the overnight camp of their choice. Our foster children have faced some tough circumstances and missed out on many of the innocent joys of childhood. We believe that attending summer camp is an experience that every child should have and provides these children with positive memories that will last a lifetime.

"Life Book" Project: The "Life Book" Project is designed to promote the development of a healthy self-image and a greater understanding of a foster child's life circumstances. Wednesday's Child Benefit Corporation makes a photo album-workbook available to all children coming into protective care. The book consists of printed materials and record keeping pages designed by a psychologist to provide the children a place to write out their feeling, record events in their lives and save pictures of special moments.

Birthday Project: This is a year round project provides $20 gift cards to foster children to celebrate their birthday and pick out exactly what they wanted as a gift. We want to make sure that they know someone is thinking of them on their birthday and it is one to be remembered. Many children are in group homes or residential facilities and this may be the only birthday present they receive.

Focused Therapy Project: The goal of this project is to help young foster children under the age of six, with considerable unmet therapeutic needs attain the care they need and deserve to make the outcome of a successful adoption or placement more likely. The project strives to enhance each child's ability to attach and provides a stable platform for continued successful growth and development.