Hickernell Joins Foster Children and Families Press Conference
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| Rep. Hickernell presents Kathy Ramper with a ceremonial copy of House Resolution 251 declaring May to be Foster Care Month. Ramper is the executive director of the Pennsylvania State Resource Family Association. |
HARRISBURG – Rep. Dave Hickernell (R-Lancaster/Dauphin) today took part in a foster child and parent awareness press conference event at the state Capitol today along with the Pennsylvania State Resource Family Association and the Together as Adoptive Parents organizations. The event coincides with May being Foster Care Month in Pennsylvania, which is due to a resolution sponsored by Hickernell.
“Supporting the efforts and rights of foster parents has been an important issue to me, and this resolution is a way to raise awareness about the compassionate and vital role they play in society,” Hickernell said. “Foster families open their homes and hearts to children in need, providing a secure and nurturing home life for those children.”
Hickernell noted there are about 15,000 children in Pennsylvania currently in temporary foster care, and today’s event involved placing thousands of shoes around the Capitol to represent all the children currently in the foster care system. After the event, the shoes were donated to families in need.
In 2005, Hickernell authored House Bill 1579, which was signed into law that year. The Resource Family Care Act gave foster parents more input into the life decisions made on behalf of the children in their care, and more clearly defined the responsibilities of social service agencies to foster families. The law established commonsense measures to ensure that foster parents get the support necessary to provide a nurturing, healthy home environment for the children in their care.
Representative Dave Hickernell
98th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Charles Lardner
717.260.6443
RepHickernell.com