CHARLESTON, W.Va. — KVC West Virginia held a fundraiser Wednesday in Charleston to raise money for foster care-related work.
Home Hope Heroes was held at the West Virginia Culture Center, with the goal of raising awareness about helping children in foster care as well as families throughout West Virginia.
Alex Mahaffey, KVC West Virginia community resource specialist, said there are multiple operations of the nonprofit the benefit will help fund.
“We have the foster care and adoption aspect of KVC, but we also have behavioral health services and the Safe at Home Program, which is a new initiative through the state,” Mahaffey said.
The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources operates the Safe at Home Program, which is aimed at reducing the reliance on foster care and reducing the number of out-of-state placements.
Mahaffey said improving foster care within and outside the initiative is important, especially as the number of foster parents in the state has decreased.
“Employment issues play a factor,” she said. “I think the drug epidemic plays a factor.”
Mahaffey added foster parent recruitment has become a significant focus for KVC West Virginia.
“Five years ago, it wasn’t as bad as it is now,” she said. “We really need foster parents.”
This is the second year of the charity event.