BY KATLAN THOMERSON
Glasgow News 1
The newly established nonprofit organization The Love and Grace Foundation is partnering with the Barren County Family YMCA to host a celebration dedicated to the foster care community on Tuesday, May 7 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the YMCA.
Kerri Mercer, event organizer and President of The Love and Grace Foundation reached out to Tara Bailey, CEO and executive director the Barren County YMCA, in hopes of creating an event that celebrates the foster care community.
“When I reached out to Tara Bailey, she was very excited to partner with us to create an event to bring joy and smiles to our foster care community,” said Mercer.
This event is in conjunction with two other events created by The Love and Grace Foundation in observance of May being National Foster Care Month. A celebration will occur at Southern Lanes in Bowling Green from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and at the Franklin Community Church in Simpson County from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on May 11 as well.
“We’re hosting three different types of events for the same cause because we wanted to offer different times and locations to capture different family needs and lifestyles,” said Mercer. “We are encouraging unification of the foster care community and the entire community. We encourage those who have thought about becoming a foster care parent to come and questions to get to know the foster care community.”
The Love and Grace Foundation exists to provide necessities, resources, education and support to the foster care community in South Central Kentucky. The organization was established in January of this year and is set to have a grand opening ceremony at 10 a.m. on May 11 at their location on 1366 Kenton Street in Bowling Green.
“A group of foster adoptive parents and myself decided to open a foundation house,” said Mercer, “We’re doing this with the support, love, and prayer of community partners, donors, fundraisers, and sponsors. Foster care is their situation, it is not who they are.”
Though its roots are in Bowling Green, The Love and Grace Foundation has established several connections throughout South Central Kentucky to help ensure that they reach as many foster communities as possible.
“Our foundation provides services to South Central Kentucky and surrounding counties throughout the state. If you have a child in Barren County who is removed, they may end up in Logan County or Jefferson County. So, we want to make sure that we are taking care of the needs that are present, especially in the older age groups,” said Mercer.
During the event at the YMCA, foster care families and the community at large will eat pizza, participate in a gym maze, receive swag bags, speak with vendors, and be given the opportunity to win multiple prize drawings.
“We’ll be giving away bicycles, basketball goals and other outdoor entertainment prizes,” said Mercer. “The swag bags will include anything and everything that we can get our hands on. Pencils, stickers, playdough, hand-held toys, coloring pages, and the vendors will provide items as well.”
In looking forward, Mercer aims to make the event happening at the YMCA an annual event and hopes to bring more events to Barren County.
“We will be holding monthly support group meetings and training sessions in every county, including barren, at locations that are to be determined,” Mercer began. “We’ll have one for foster parents, one for family members and community members that are part of the fictive kin placement program, one for teens in the foster care program and one for families that have adopted through foster care.”
Those interested in learning more about The Love and Grace Foundation are encouraged to call (270)-746-3256, email theloveandgracefoundation@gmail.com, or reach out to them on Facebook by clicking here.
“We are happy to discuss with them what we do, answer any questions, and find out what their interests are,” Mercer began. “Everyone can offer something to the foster care community but the thing that we ask for the most is prayer. “
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