Foster Parents and Families Celebrate at Zoos, Aquarium

New York City foster parents and their families celebrated a day of fun at five of the City's premier wildlife venues on Saturday, May 30. Children's Services' Office of Parent Support and Recruitment sponsored the event in collaboration with the NYC Wildlife Conservation Society. Foster parents like Nedra Woody spent the day with her five children, foster and biological, at the Central Park Zoo. "The kids especially loved the penguins, and there must have been a hundred of them jumping in and out of the water," said Ms. Woody. "I thought it was awesome and we had such a good time."
The event was the culmination of Foster Care Awareness Month, as Children's Services honored the more than 10,000 foster parents who open their homes to the City's most vulnerable children.

 
ACS Assistant Commissioner Dr. Angel Mendoza, Jr, foster parents Barrington and Nedra Woody with daughters Ashley, 8, and Taylor, 6, and ACS Associate Commissioner Eric Nicklas enjoying Central Park.

"Children' Services recognizes that without a strong network of foster parents to love and support our children and families there cannot be a viable child welfare system," said Deputy Commissioner Lorraine Stephens. "Foster parents are indeed the unsung heroes in the life stories of our children. We are happy to honor those who provide a safe and stable environment for our children."  

Among the other venues opened to foster parents and their families that day was the Bronx Zoo; the New York Aquarium in Coney Island; the Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn and the Queens Zoo.

Former foster mom Melanie Ortiz with her son Christopher, who she adopted.

Deputy Commissioner Lorraine Stephens and volunteers at the Bronx Zoo.

A beautiful day at the Central Park Zoo.

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