This year more than 20,000 Pennsylvania children of all ages...

This year more than 20,000 Pennsylvania children of all ages will spend the holidays in foster care - separated from their families, homes, friends and even their toys and books.

Although people are very generous in donating toys for our younger children, it can be difficult to solicit age-appropriate gifts for teenagers (11-18). And whether 11 or 17 years of age, it still matters that someone thinks about you during the holidays.

In response, Family Services of Western Pennsylvania (FSWP) has developed an online “Giving Tree” to appeal for gifts for this unique age group. Visitors to the FSWP Web site at www.fswp.org can click on the Giving Tree logo and get all the necessary information to donate a gift.

As teens age out of the system, they face a myriad of challenges. Without support and community services, they are vulnerable to unemployment, homelessness, poverty, substance abuse, and incarceration. For GLBT teens aging out of foster care, the statistics are even higher.

FSWP actively encourages members of the GLBT community to consider foster parenting. Our agency has a history of collaboration with local GLBT organizations including the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force, Persad, and GLENDA. FSWP has also been the proud host of the Voices for a New Tomorrow GLBT community collaborative for the past 18 months.

We believe that love does not recognize differences of sexual orientation, age, race, religion, ethnicity, disability, or gender.

For more information on foster care or the Giving Tree project, please contact Sue Kerr at 412-661-1670 x649 or kerrs@fswp.org.

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