Welcome to NFPA's 42nd annual conference!

Our families and supporters started arriving Thursday as NFPA's board met to gather committee and regional reports and to plan operations for the upcoming year. One immediate change in the board was the appointment of Pam Allen of Nebraska as Region 7 Vice President. Pam will finish Jodi Orton's term.

We're in Chicago!

NFPA kicked off its arrival  for the 42nd annual conference June 13 in Chicago/Oak Brook with a Council of State Affiliates meeting that was attended by 21 state representatives. Kudos to Massachusetts, Arizona, Idaho, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, California, Texas, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, Louisiana, Connecticut, Alabama, Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Florida, Iowa and Illinois for joining us!

Wow, What a Month!

The National Voice of Foster Parents Wow, What a Month! National Foster Care Month The National Foster Parent Association sends a heartfelt thanks to all who recognized the month of May as National Foster Care Month. We hope that through your efforts, foster care awareness was raised tenfold. We've listed some events that took place around the country for May.

Congratulations to our conference award winners!

The National Foster Parent Association would like to take a moment during National Foster Care Month to proudly announce the winners for our 42nd annual conference awards!

* Foster Family of the Year Award
(recognizing an outstanding and deserving foster family)
John and Diana Alejos, Nacogdoches, Texas



* State Foster Parent Association of the Year Award
(recognizing an outstanding and deserving state foster parent association)
Foster and Adoptive Family Services, New Jersey

* Local Foster Parent Association of the Year Award
(recognizing an outstanding and deserving local foster parent association)
Foster and Adoptive Family Services Volunteer Committee, Middlesex County, New Jersey


* General Service and Recognition Award
(recognizing a recipient who has performed a specific community service or activity)
Vanessa Tyus, Jacksonville, Illinois 



* Social Worker of the Year Award
(recognizing an outstanding direct service worker in a public or private child-placing agency)
Gia Wesley, Kent, Washington


* State Membership Award
(recognizing a state president with the greatest increase in NFPA membership)
Gladys Boyd, Illinois Foster & Adoptive Parent Association

* Gordon Evans Merit Award for Service to NFPA
(recognizing noteworthy service to NFPA)
Carolyn Walker, Jacksonville, Texas



* NFPA Regional Vice President Award
(recognizing a regional vice president with the greatest increase in NFPA membership)
Randy Ruth, Region 5

The winners will be honored for this achievement Saturday, June 16 at the Oak Brook Hills Marriott Resort. Please join us in congratulating this wonderful group that will represent NFPA during 2012.

Make sure your state or city is represented at the NFPA conference!

Each year the National Foster Parent Association presents scholarships to foster, adoptive and bio youth of our members and the silent auction is our main fundraiser for this endeavor. Please consider donating items, such as a state basket or gift cards, to be auctioned during the conference. If your association would rather donate funds, that would be great as well. NFPA will purchase the items to make a basket or a gift card to represent your state or area.

Need some ideas? If you're from Florida, a basket of Florida-grown oranges or grapefruit would be great. Live in Wisconsin? How about a cheese and sausage basket? We all know Texas makes the best chili so a chili starter kit might be nice. Hmm, maybe we should stop there since all of our ideas are centered around food!

Agencies are welcome to send a basket too. Our goal is to have every state represented during the auction ... please help us make that happen. Proceeds from this auction will go toward the 2013 NFPA Youth Scholarship Fund.

You can send silent auction items and/or donations to the NFPA office at:

National Foster Parent Association
Attn: Silent Auction
2021 East Hennepin Ave., Suite 320
Minneapolis, MN 55413

We must have the items by Friday, June 8 for inclusion in the silent auction. If you'd rather bring the items with you to Oak Brook, we'll accept them then too.

Contact Sarah Schafer at 800.557.5238 or sschafer(at)nfpaonline.org for more information.

Thanks and we can't wait to see you all in June!

Nominate a Foster Family of the Year

Do you know a foster family that deserves to be recognized nationally? Nominate them for the 2012 NFPA Foster Family of the Year Award!

The award, a plaque bearing the name of the Foster Family of the Year, is presented to the family during NFPA's Annual Education Conference, which will be held June 15-18, 2012 in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Also check out the other awards NFPA will be distributing during its conference.

General Service and Recognition Award

Social Worker of the Year Award

Local Foster Parent Association of the Year Award

State Foster Parent Association of the Year Award

Deadline for nominations is March 1. All award forms, including criteria for the awards, are located on NFPA's 2012 Conference page.