"Too many children in our country do not succeed because crises leave them without a family to whom they can turn for the kind of support that most children take for granted."
(Annie E. Casey Foundation)
Make a Difference for Children with Children's Home Society
The 2011 Little Red Stocking Campaign started November 25th and will end December 24th. This yearly campaign engages communities all across the state to help West Virginia’s children in need. We have amazing corporate partners, groups and individuals who work hard each year to make this campaign special, unique and highly successful. Also, new this year is our “What’s Up With The Red Socks” initiative, we encourage everyone to wear red socks throughout the campaign and when someone asks you “what’s up with the red socks” you can tell them about Children’s Home Society, our children and families wecare for and about how important the Little Red Stocking Campaign is.
Nick and Jorun Picciano became a Children’s Home Society family on May 5, 2009. They were a blended family that was already parenting four children. They had felt drawn to foster care due to their exposure to children that had been abused through their employment as Paramedics. The Piccianos’ were adamant from the first moment that we met them that though they were eager to foster they did not want to adopt. The Piccianos’ received their first foster child placement on the very same day they were approved. On that day they welcomed a three year old little boy that had already had several disrupted placements and a list of alleged behaviors that would usually scare the most experienced foster families. The Piccianos’ felt that they were up to the challenge even though it had been a long time since they had a toddler in the home.
Josh came with challenges; he was extremely stubborn and had some pretty severe tantrums. However, the Picciano’s did not give up on him and he flourished under their care. The Piccianos’ were great advocates for Josh and would go above and beyond to ensure that his needs were met.
Josh had been in the home for several months when the Piccianos’ first approached Children’s Home Society about the possibility of adoption. They discussed that if for some reason Josh wasn’t able to return to the care of his biological parents that they were interested in adoption. The Piccianos’ and their social worker, Carna, laughed as they remembered them not ever wanting to adopt, and here they were totally in love and ready to commit to their first placement. The Piccianos’ dream came true and Josh’s adoption was finalized on February 28, 2011. The Piccianos’ continue to maintain contact with Josh’s siblings. They also continue to open their home to children that are difficult to place or have had multiple disruptions. Senator Jay Rockefeller nominated the Picciano family for the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, “Angels in Adoption” award. They received their award on October 5, 2011.
Cribs For Kids
Help provide a safe crib for a needy child today! The “Cribs for Kids” program began in 1998 as an initiative of the SIDS of Pennsylvania Organization. Because of several infant SIDS deaths, this program was started to educate and provide safe sleeping environments for families who could not otherwise afford them. This campaign was the first of this kind in the country and is now in 166 locations in 37 states.
A Walk-A-Thon was held in Lewisburg on October 30th to kick off this project locally. $70 will purchase a Graco Pack’n Play crib, which is bought at cost and arrives with free shipping in our service area. These cribs will be given to needy families who otherwise would not be able to provide a safe sleeping environment for their baby. Families will also receive educational materials and training by a licensed social worker to ensure they can assemble the crib correctly, as well as educational information about SIDS and Safe Sleep techniques.
Children’s Home Society is participating in the “Cribs for Kids” project in Region I and Region IV (Greenbrier, Summers and Monroe counties) collaboratively along with CASE/WV. Checks may be made directly to CASE/WV and mailed to: Janet Richmond, CHS, 9579 Seneca Trail South, Fairlea WV 24901. You may also call Janet at 304-647-3430 or email at JRichmond@childhswv.org to make a donation. All donations are tax-deductible
First Book
For the past ten years, the Mercer County WE CAN Program has been a grant recipient of First Book. Thousands of books have been distributed to children in WE CAN through generous grants from our local advisory board.
This year, First Book has extended its reach, and more CHS programs are First Book recipients. These include:
Parkersburg – coordinated a new, local advisory board and received $7,000 from the Department of Education in seed money;
Northfork – received a grant of $2,000 to purchase approximately 1,000 new books for children in emergency shelter care and children at the community center;
Princeton – received a grant of $1,680 to purchase approximately 840 new books for children in the WE CAN child-mentoring program; and
Morgantown – received a grant in the amount of $320 to purchase approximately 160 new books for children in the tutoring/mentoring program.
For more information about First Book, please visit:
There are children in West Virginia who need your help. WSAZ in cooperation with the Children’s Home Society, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources and Mission West Virginia are looking for families to answer the challenge and become adoptive parents for West Virginia’s children. You can see children who are waiting for parents through adoption. You can tune into WSAZ’s First at Five Newscast on Channel 3 every other Tuesday to see children as they ask you to consider adopting them. WSAZ makes it even easier to see their broadcast at your convenience on their webpage. You can also click on the link below to see the videos and share them with others.
For the past ten years, the Mercer County WE CAN Program has been a grant recipient of First Book. Thousands of books have been distributed to children in WE CAN through generous grants from our local advisory board. 
A Walk For Children Slide Show
