Pool Party is All Splash, No Rain

May 22, 2024

Communities Connected for Kids celebrated its local foster families May 11 with a special takeover of Stuart’s Sailfish Splash Waterpark.

More than 300 caregivers and their families attended the event, a private pizza and pool party where local foster families have the run of the Martin County park.

A generous donation from Seacoast Bank ensured that families attending could celebrate the day in privacy, with similar families experiencing the challenges and joys unique to foster care.

The event is an annual celebration of National Foster Family Appreciation Month, recognized each year in May. The pool party is usually held in June to accommodate busy schedules around Mother’s Day.

“This was the first year the event was not impacted by heavy rain – we had a great turnout, and families reported they really enjoyed themselves,” said Jerra Wisecup, licensing and caregiver support specialist for CCKids.

This year’s event was part of CCKids’ #25by2025 campaign to add 25 foster homes to Judicial Circuit 19 – Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties – by January 1. The campaign will continue into subsequent years with new themes and recruitment goals.

“We have far more children who need foster homes than actual foster homes,” said Christina Kaiser, CCKids’ community relations director. “When that happens, we often have to place children in group care or in homes outside of their community.”

The #25by2025 campaign is designed to start bringing them back home and to keep future children coming into care in Okeechobee and the Treasure Coast, she said.

For information on how to become a foster parent, or for ways to get involved in #25by2025, visit www.cckids.net and click the campaign portal at the top of the page. Or, call (772) 873-7800, and ask for Jerra.

 

Pictured in the above images are CCKids staff and volunteers who helped make the 2024 pool party a successful event. Top picture, from left, are Denise Natalizio, Jordan Bebout, Caryn Toole and CEO Carol Deloach. Pictured in the bottom right image, from left, are Christine Winter, CCKids finance director; Jerra Wisecup, CCKids licensing and caregiver support specialist; Karen Margh recruitment specialist from 4Kids of the Treasure Coast; Tricia Curl, also a caregiver support specialist from CCKids; and Licensing and Caregiver Support Program Director Jill Poole.