Throughout the United States today, more than 500,000 children are in foster care – in fact, by one estimate, there are now some 12 million alumni of the foster care system nationwide. With May being National Foster Care Month, Summit County Children Services has planned several activities to honor its nearly 450 foster parents and express the agency’s sincere appreciation for the love, care, hope, guidance, and nurturance they provide to the abused and neglected children of our community.

This year’s theme for Foster Care Month in Summit County is, “Be the Sunshine in a Child's Life, Foster a Child,” which was created by Charles & Shannon Woods of Uniontown. Promotional buttons with this theme have been distributed to the agency’s foster parents.

Summit County Children Services will host a free foster care and adoption information meeting at the Northwest Akron Branch Library, 1720 Shatto Ave., April 24 from 6 to 8 p.m.

As of the end of February, 75 children in agency custody were waiting to be adopted -- and of those, 61 were age 12 and older. Residents who attend the information meeting will learn more about foster care and adoption, including what and how long the process is, what kind of support is provided by the agency and the costs involved with adopting a child.

Agency staff will also share basic information about the children coming into care, and guests will view the agency's recruitment DVD that features children in permanent custody who are waiting to be adopted. This event is free and open to the entire community and reservations are not needed.  For information, call (330) 379-1994 or visit www.summitkids.org.

Summit County Children Services – the coordinating agency of Child & Family Awareness Month – recently announced the names of 29 local students from public, private, independent and charter schools within Summit County who were selected as winners in the 2012 Child & Family Awareness Month© Creative Contests from more than 250 combined entries.

The winners, each of whom was asked to create an artistic piece honoring the all-important concept of ‘family,’ were recognized at an awards reception held at the Akron Art Museum, through the support of the museum, Wendy's and the FirstMerit Foundation.

The work of the grand prize winner -- fifth-grader Brianna Frank, from Erwine Intermediate School in Coventry, will be the basis for all the promotional materials (such as brochures, buttons, etc.), which will be developed for next April's 2013 Child & Family Awareness Month celebration.

A special parent training event entitled “Read Together, Sing Together, Play Together, Learn Together!” will take place April 5 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Children’s Library of the Akron-Summit County Public Library in downtown Akron. The event, presented by the Akron-Summit County Public Library and Child Care Connection, is part of this year’s 25th Anniversary Child & Family Awareness Month celebration coordinated by Summit County Children Services.

In this program, trainers Laura McFalls and Trish Saylor of the Akron-Summit County Public Library will explain how play helps young children learn skills needed for life and how through joyful, hands-on play experiences with adults, children gain a love for learning.

Summit County Children Services will host a free foster care and adoption information meeting at the Ellet Branch Library, 2470 E. Market St., March 28 from 6 to 8 p.m.

As of the end of February, 75 children in agency custody were waiting to be adopted – and of those, 61 were aged 12 and older. Area residents who attend the information meeting will learn more about foster care and adoption, including what and how long the process is, what kind of support is provided by the agency and the costs involved with adopting a child. Agency staff will also share basic information about the children coming into care.

Each year, Summit County Children Services counts on community donations to brighten up the season for children in agency custody by providing them with festive Easter baskets. This year donations are once again needed -- especially for school-aged and older boys.

Monetary donations are certainly welcome -- but for those preferring to donate already-completed baskets, here are some suggestions. For school-aged boys’ baskets: small sports balls or outdoor toys; cars and trucks; coloring/activity books and markers, books, candy and chocolate bunnies. For pre-teen boys: hand-held games, chapter books, action figures, gadgets, small games/puzzles, candy and chocolate bunnies.

Filled, wrapped baskets should be labeled with the child’s age and gender and delivered between March 23 and 26 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to Summit County Children Services, 264. S. Arlington Street, Akron.

Alec wants to travel the world. Devon is good at memory games. Heaven watches “Degrassi” and likes fashion. These are just three profiles out of more than 60 featured on the Summit County Children Services website.

Throughout the month of November, cutout figures, symbolizing all of the waiting children in these profiles, are visible on the front lawn of the agency’s building located on Arlington Street. November is National Adoption Awareness Month, and the agency hosted an event earlier in the month to celebrate.

The cutouts were created by the Construction Trades Program students at Ellet High School and hand-painted by agency staff and volunteers. The event featured Magistrate Diane Stevenson from Summit County Probate Court and two couples who recently adopted, Doug and Carol Hausknecht and Jerry and Pam Kusar. At the event, the two families “ceremonially” removed two cutouts to signify the two children who were adopted.

A number of area children are looking for permanent homes with a foster or adopted family. Summit County Children Services is sponsoring a free Foster Care and Adoption Information Meeting Sept. 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the agency, located ta 264 S. Arlington St., Akron.

Those attending the meeting will learn more about foster care and adoption, including: what and how long the process is; what kind of support is provided by the agency; and the costs involved with adopting a child. Agency staff will also share basic information about the children coming into care.

Guests will also view the agency's recruitment DVD that features children in permanent custody who are waiting to be adopted, and refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the entire community and reservations are not needed. For information, call (330) 379-1994.

Summit County Children Services wants to ensure that every child in its care will begin school this fall prepared with essential school supplies to help them succeed throughout the year.

Each summer, more than 1,000 children in the care of Summit County Children Services are given backpacks filled with school supplies – all donated.  However, because of limitations on the agency’s use of funds for this type of purchase, the agency depends on the generosity of the community’s organizations and individual donors in order to provide school supplies to the children served by the agency.

A donation of $25 will purchase a backpack and school supplies for the youngest children. A donation of $35 will provide essentials for a middle school or high school student – including a scientific calculator. Monetary donations can now be made online through PayPal at www.summitkids.org (click on Donor/Volunteer Opportunities and use the “Donate Now” button).

The Child & Family Leadership Exchange (CFLE) Class XVI  recently graduated 24 participants from 18 different area organizations who took part in a year-long series of activities designed to promote excellence in leadership among Summit County professionals who serve children and families.