SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
In the coming weeks the Foster Family Coalition of the NWT will be offering some additional comfort for children entering new homes.

The group is handing out backpacks of needed items across the Northwest Territories.

The coalition, which is a non-profit and charitable organization that supports foster families in the NWT hosted Glen Abernethy, Minister of Health and Social Services, on Oct. 13 at its Centre Square Mall office to stuff bags with basic household goods. The bags themselves are expected to be distributed over the coming weeks to help ease children from infancy to 18 years into new family environments, said Tammy Roberts, executive director. Items range from teddy bears to books to diapers to a variety of toiletries.

"Sometimes the children will show up with very little notice and we want to make sure the children are OK," Roberts said.

The handing out of bags is part of a national effort by the by the Children's Aid Foundation, based in Ontario, which reaches out to different donors, individuals or companies who are interested in supporting children and youth. The funds are then distributed to child welfare groups such as the Foster Family Coalition. The backpacks are being distributed with assistance from the moving company AMJ Campbell in November and come from a grant called the Ted and Loretta Rogers Foster Care Transition Program. The program began in 2013 to help foster care organizations across the country.

"We were approached by some donors (Ted and Loretta Rogers) in 2013 who were interested in supporting a transition to foster care," said Lisa Lipkin, public relations officer with Children's Aid Foundation. "They recognized that this could be a very hard time for kids and they wanted to do something that could make it a little bit easier for them. So they had this idea for a backpack program and asked if they could make it happen."

Lipkin said 2,000 backpacks were distributed across the country in 2014. This was seen as a success so Rogers' organization agreed to pay for another 3,500 to be handed out, which allowed foster family groups in the NWT and Nunavut to be supported this year, she said.

Abernethy said it was important for him to be present because his ministry relies heavily on the coalition to help meet its goals in building stronger families. There are about 209 children in care in 118 homes across the territories and all of this work is facilitated by the Foster Families Coalition, he said.

"It is an incredibly important initiative to ensure that the families that are willing to step up and be fostered have some of the initial tools that they need when those children first come into their homes," Abernethy said, adding the department puts out an annual report which provides figures on children entering foster homes in every region in the NWT. While the figures remain positive, he wants to get more people involved in supporting needy children.

"We have some good news in that we know the number of kids going into care is going down which is great," he said. "Today we have 209 children in care in 118 homes all thanks to the work of the Foster Family Coalition. We want to see the 209 number come down but also the 118 number come up. We want to see more families be more willing to open their homes."

Roberts said the next few months will a time for new developments for her organization as they move into a new building at 5125 50 Avenue shared with the Dene Nation. For the last four years the coalition has been located in the Centre Square Mall, which is isolated in a back hall near the security station - a situation she calls "sketchy."

"We are hoping (our move) will be easier for families to come and see us because it (will be) right on the street," she said.

"They don't have to manoeuvre through a mall or blocked doors and security."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.