November 19, 2007

Citizen Review Board sponsors Gorge-wide
book collection for foster children

The Citizen Review Board volunteers are collecting new books to give as holiday gifts to foster children in Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam and Wheeler counties.

The Five County CRB Book Drive will go through Dec. 6. Collection points for the donation of new or like-new books will be at Waucoma Bookstore, Dog River Coffee and The Book Stop, Hood River; Klindt’s Booksellers and New York City Sub Shop, The Dalles; Café Moro, Moro; Country Flowers, Condon; and Bank of Eastern Oregon, Fossil.

There are more than 200 children in foster care in this five-county area. Many foster children experience multiple foster care placements and school disruptions. These factors can lead to lower-than-average academic achievement and low self-esteem.

Many children in foster care have few, if any, of their own belongings. Books are personal and easily portable gifts for children who are often forced to leave many parts of their lives behind.

Citizen Review Board members are court-appointed volunteers who review individual case plans of children in foster care and make recommendations to the Juvenile Court, the Department of Human Services, the Oregon Youth Authority, and other parties involved in the cases of foster children.

Through reviewing individual cases, CRB volunteers see firsthand the desperate needs of these foster children and advocate for system improvement. This book drive was developed based on the knowledge of the needs of foster children. The goal of this year’s book drive is to give at least one new book to every foster child.

At the end of the drive, the books are delivered to the DHS office where the caseworkers match the donated books to the children in foster care. Local CRB members have set a goal of 200 new books for the 200 children in foster care in Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam and Wheeler counties.