Volunteer Spotlight: Nichole Singer Weighted Blankets to Calm Children Nichole Singer started volunteering with Arms Wide in 2018 in a unique way: she makes weighted blankets for our children! After hearing about the need for weighted blankets for children who have experienced trauma, she knew this was something she could do as an avid quilter.

Has Thanks Left Thankfulness? By: Annette Williams, Ph.D., LPC, RPT, CAS, NCC Yes, it’s that time of the year again.  Stores are preparing for Black Friday, customers wait in anticipation for the perfect holiday deals, families debate over where to host Thanksgiving; and hold discussions regarding a vegan holiday or the traditional turkey. What joy or

Art Therapy Strengthens Families Julie Riley is a licensed therapist who has a unique way of building relationships with families: art therapy. She has held sessions with Arms Wide’s Post Adoption and Post Permanency Programs and incorporates art in her own practice as a licensed counselor. In this spotlight, Julie shares her perspective of how

Three Tips for Natural Haircare African American haircare requires a different approach than caring for other hair types. Especially in foster care and adoptive settings, it is important for parents to know the difference. Proper haircare helps a child build confidence, which contributes to their social and emotional wellbeing. Recently, as part of our It

 Back to School in Foster Care The Back-to-School season is an exciting time for many children and families. However, it can be a difficult time for the 28,000 children in foster care in Texas. Statistically, only half of these children will end up graduating from high school. And without the support network of a stable

Foster Care Myth: Single Parents A common foster care myth is that single parents can’t foster or adopt from foster care. In reality, single parents can be exactly what a child in foster care needs! Single foster and adoptive parents are in good company, according to the Foster Coalition: about 30% of foster parents are

Why I Foster: Building a Foster Care Community May is National Foster Care Month, where we celebrate the dedication of foster parents and raise awareness about the needs of children in foster care. Being a foster parent is about meeting the needs of those children, no matter what their forever home ends up being. Some

Why I Foster: National Foster Care Month May is National Foster Care Month, where we celebrate the dedication of foster parents and raise awareness about the needs of children in foster care. In Texas, there are over 28,000 children in foster care every day. Some live with foster families, but many are waiting in group homes

The Time is Now to Prevent Child Abuse Child abuse can last a lifetime, because the effects of trauma can linger well past childhood. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Now is the time to prevent child abuse to protect tomorrow for our most vulnerable children. If the community stands up for children