Rep. Slavens offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 283. 

            A resolution to declare May 2012 as Foster Care Awareness Month in the state of

Michigan.

            Whereas, There is nothing more precious to Michigan than the healthy growth and

development of the young people who will determine the future direction of our state; and

            Whereas, The family, serving as the primary source of love, identity, self-esteem, and

support, is the very foundation of our communities and our state; and

            Whereas, In Michigan, there are more than 13,000 children and youth in the foster care

system who are being provided a safe, secure, and stable home environment along with the

compassion and nurturing of a foster or relative foster family; and

            Whereas, Foster families open their homes and hearts to children whose families are in

crisis, thus they play a vital role in helping children and families heal, reconnect, and launch

children into successful adulthood; and

            Whereas, Dedicated foster families frequently adopt foster children, resulting in a

continual need for more foster families; and

            Whereas, Foster Care Awareness Month in the state of Michigan is an appropriate

opportunity to thank the families who embrace the often thankless responsibility of providing a

home and family to children in need of affection, love, and security and to support the efforts of

those who dedicate their time to children in and leaving foster care; and

            Whereas, The state of Michigan must do more to improve the lives of children in foster

care; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body

declare May 2012 as Foster Care Awareness Month in the state of Michigan. We encourage more citizens to volunteer their time to become a mentor to a child that is in foster care and realize that the state of Michigan must do more to improve the lives of children in foster care.