A Timmins event aims to boost foster care amid a 30% decline since 2020, urging more people to help.

On Friday, North Eastern Ontario Family and Children’s Services and the Foster Families Association hosted their seventh annual foster recruitment food drive and BBQ in Timmins, supporting local food banks and addressing a nearly 30% decline in foster homes since 2020. The event, held near Thanksgiving and Foster Families Appreciation Week, aims to combat a growing need for foster families across northeastern Ontario, emphasizing that foster parenting is accessible to single people, renters, and part-time caregivers. Organizers are working to dispel myths about eligibility and encourage prospective foster parents to attend a virtual info session on October 29. NEOFACS serves children from birth to 18, focusing on keeping them connected to their culture and communities when possible.