Program News 2003
GSS Speaks Out Against Proposed Foster Care Budget Cuts
On June 20, Good Shepherd hosted a press conference at the Bronx Foster Boarding Home office to speak out against proposed foster care service cuts in the Mayor's budget. Speakers included City Council Speaker Gifford Miller, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, Council members, child welfare advocates as well as staff members and program participants. Brian, now in our Foster Boarding Home (FBH) program but formerly a resident of Barbara Blum, was very well spoken and impressed the Speaker when he reported that he was a student at Stuyvesant High School. The other FBH teen, Stephanie, who had her three-year old son with her, made a strong point of how the support from her caseworker enabled her to be a good mother and also set goals for herself. Two girls from our group care programs, Arabella and Monica, made powerful and sincere statements about how important their workers and agency services were to them. One staff member, Denise Padilla, spoke on camera about how difficult the work has become because of the need to increase caseloads. Another staff member, Alex Navarro, was interviewed for the Spanish press and he too spoke eloquently on the hardships of doing quality work with increased workloads. The press conference was a great success and aired on NY1 and national Spanish language TV.
June 22, 2003
