Koinonia Foster Families has been bringing hope to the new generation for over 30 years. While foster care and adoption accounts for the largest part of our organization, we have developed seven wonderful programs to treat, support, and improve the lives of foster children, adoptive children, group home children, and at-risk youth and families.

Koinonia is also an industry leader in representing the interests and rights of children and young people in "the system" through regulatory and legislative advocacy.

Becoming a professional Foster Parent consists of:

• A Monthly reserve/stipend
• Mileage reimbursement to schools out of district
• Ongoing training
• Weekly in-home support
• 24 hour support
• Paid vacation time
• Respite care
• Discounts through IFoster.org
• CPR/First Aid
• CPI training

KIDS IN YOUR COMMUNITY NEED YOU

Please contact us for more information.

Websites:

• Koinonia Family Services - https://www.kfh.org/

The Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Program provides pregnant parents and families with young children free home visits that are tailored to the families' specific needs.

Nurses can meet families in the comfort of their own home or by phone to provide:
• Information about health, caring for your baby, breast/chest feeding, development, parenting, safety, family planning and more
• Links to local services for healthcare, housing, food, transportation, day care, etc.
• Moving Beyond Depression Program for parents with postpartum depression or anxiety

Who can benefit:
• Parents with health concerns during or after pregnancy
• Children and youth with special healthcare needs
• Young and/or first-time parents
• Families without health insurance, are low income, or are homeless
• Families grieving the death of a child

This program is available to all Nevada County.
---------------------
This is a Ready to Grow (R2G) resource. Ready to Grow is a First 5 Nevada County program to connect child… [read more]

Founded in 2006, PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center actively leads social change to prevent childhood bullying, so that all youth are safe and supported in their schools, communities, and online. https://www.pacer.org/bullying/

The center offers many online resources for bullying prevention including:

• Questions Answered - https://www.pacer.org/bullying/info/info-facts.asp
  • includes definitions and info about direct bullying, indirect bullying, cyberbullying, and more
• Bullying Facts - https://www.pacer.org/bullying/info/facts.asp
• Handouts
• Flyers
• Templates for letters to schools about bullying
• Resources for children who are targets of bullying - https://www.pacer.org/bullying/info/questions-answered/bullying-at-school.asp
• Resources for children who bully - https://www.pacer.org/bullying/info/questions-answered/bullying-behavior.asp
• Resources in Spanish - Recursos Para Adultos y Estudiantes Acerca de Bullying - https://www.pacer.org/bullying/…

[read more]

The Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) Program is a statewide health program whose goal is to assure that all children and youth of families with limited income in California stay healthy by providing complete health exams, preventive services and immunizations to eligible children.

CHDP provides care coordination to assist families with medical appointment scheduling, transportation and access to prompt diagnostic and treatment services to prevent or greatly reduce the severity of suspected problems.

The CHDP program also provides a "gateway" to ongoing health care for children by linking families to health insurance and a medical home.

​Please see our website or contact us for more information.

The Placer Sheriff’s Activities League is engaged in activities and events after school three days a week for local youth.

The events include mentoring, leadership and promote good decision making through sports and/or presentations. The program also implements a drug and gang prevention environment. Look under programs tab on website for specific details of each program.

The Placer Sheriff’s Activities League is facilitated at Parkside Church in Auburn and is hosted by a Placer County Sheriff’s Deputies, Placer County Probation, Children System of Care, Latino Leadership Counsel and KidsFirst.

The Placer Sheriff’s Activities League is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

The Placer Sheriff’s Activities League, along with its partnerships, will work and provide youth with valuable life skills benefiting themselves and the community. Strives to prevent youth involvement of gangs as well as drug use.

Positive experiences can ease toxic stress and help children and youth grow into more resilient, healthier adults. Positive experiences can help counteract the affects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences (HOPE) identifies ways that our communities and systems of care can better ensure that all children have more positive experiences and that all families have support to nurture and celebrate their strengths.

The Four Building Blocks of HOPE are composed of key positive childhood experiences (PCEs). The sources of those experiences and opportunities are the foundation for healthy childhood development. 

Four Building Blocks of HOPE (Positive Childhood Experiences) - https://positiveexperience.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/4BBs-Poster.pdf

• Relationships within the family and with other children and adults through interpersonal activities.
• Safe, equitable, stable environments for living, playing, learning at home and in sc…

[read more]

Info about bus fares and passes for Nevada County Connects, the public bus system in Western Nevada County is at https://www.nevadacountyca.gov/2259/Fares-and-Passes

Discounted bus fare cards are available for qualified seniors, people with disabilities, and youth passengers. Children 5 years and younger ride free. The forms of identification listed below are required in order to be eligible for discounted fares. All applicants must have and show a valid photo ID.

Seniors

• Senior (65+)
  • A valid state Driver's License or picture/age ID card
  • A valid Medicare card (not Medi-Cal)
• Senior (80+) - Golden Ticket is a Lifetime Pass to the Nevada County Connects bus system (formerly Gold Country Stage) for seniors aged 80 and over. It provides the pass holder with unlimited free rides on all Nevada County Connects routes for the lifetime of the pass holder. Eligibility is open to all Nevada County seniors with proof of age (valid California ID card or Driver’s License)…

[read more]

The Ready to Grow program is funded by First 5 Nevada County and accessed by calling 211 or 833-342-5211. The program is for Nevada County residents and provides information to parents, guardians, caregivers, and childcare providers about programs and services that support the health and well-being of children 0 to 5 years of age. 211 assists in connecting to resources to meet various needs.

Ready to Grow (R2G) offers help in accessing and completing developmental screenings. Call 211 or 833-342-5211 for a referral to a Navigator who will contact you to assist.

California Alliance of Caregivers…

• serves foster, kinship, guardian and adoptive families
• provides one on one assistance to families who need to connect to resources and benefits that are specifically for children and youth currently in or from foster care
• provides free parent training and resources for all parents, but they are directed toward parents caring for children with mental health needs
• hosts weekly, virtual, facilitated support groups
• has a leadership coalition around the state that supports families at the local level

Trainings are free for all parents and caregivers. Training and support is primarily targeted to parents and caregivers of children in or from foster care; and children with mental health needs.

https://www.cacaregivers.org/info/

The Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians opened the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program June 1st, 2010 and now provides TANF assistance and related support services to eligible Native Americans and their families residing in El Dorado, Placer and Sacramento Counties in California.

The Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program incorporates culture and traditions into all aspects of the program in order to strengthen and solidify the Native families and assist in addressing and resolving issues which create barriers to self sufficiency.

The Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program provides important tools and skills which empower Native families in becoming self-sufficient, so they can support and nurture themselves, their children, families, and community.

Some of the types of assistance and supportive services which the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program provides to eligible Native families include:
- Monthly Assistance
- Educational Development
- Career Development
- Vocational T… [read more]