FINDING FOREVER FAMILIES 5K

Female Voice: The Pottawatomie County DHS Office is getting things moving. With the Finding Forever Families 5K they have raised awareness, built community engagement and sent people running through Shawnee with the message. 

The May event featured a certified 5K course, a 1 mile fun run, a bounce house and crafts for kids and hot dogs for all. As racers headed out on Bryan Avenue in the Saturday morning sunlight, DHS staff members shared information about how to become a foster or adoptive home and highlighted the Oklahoma Fosters Campaign. Region 2's recruitment unit and Pottawatomie and Lincoln county foster care units took the lead in acquiring sponsors and getting the message out about the event. Sponsorship and participation are primary elements of community engagement.

[NO AUDIO]
Scott Sullivan 
Adoption Transition Supervisor
Andrea Stasyszen
Region 2
Foster Care Recruiter

Adding resources and like minds sets ideas in motion. Event Organizer, Scott Sullivan attributes the growth of the event to finding the right people at DHS and in the community. The energized DHS team targeted groups that are already invested in the community for support. They cultivated connections with tribal, faith-based, and health-focused organizations and businesses. Heritage Church of Shawnee provided the location. Community partners provided food, activities, services and volunteer hours. Event sponsors gave funding, support, goods and services.

The dedicated DHS team ran the event with enthusiasm, cheering on the runners and encouraging people to move toward fostering and adoption. They connected to new sponsors and doubled registration numbers in just the second year. Every poster, t-shirt and runner--every person still talking about the event adds energy to the shared goal. Finding Forever Families for all the children of Oklahoma.

[NO AUDIO]
DHS TEAM
REGION 2 RECRUITMENT
Betty Laney
Cheryl Ibrahim
Andrea Stasyszen

POTTAWATOMIE AND LINCOLN COUNTY
Foter Care
Michelle Schmidt
Emily Alexander
John Stokes
Ellen Hogue
Caitlin Colwell
Brandi Perkins
Jennifer Reid
Samantha Corley

ADOPTION TRANSITION UNIT
Linda Foster

Community Engagement - the building of ongoing relationships between DHS, organizations, and individuals with a shared vision to benefit a community.

EVENT SPONSORS
Avers Foundation
Tinker Federal Credit Union
State Farm—Gary Vogel
Automat of Shawnee
Shawnee Chick-fil-A
Fire lake Foods
Fire lake Express Grocery
Extreme Inflatables
Vision Bank
Shelter Insurance—Brandi Coffman
Shawnee Play It Again Sports
Frontline Church
Heritage Church
CPN Wellness Center Shawnee
Dunham’s Sports Shawnee YMCA

COMMUNITY PARTNERS
The Shawnee Leos Club
Shawnee Sister City
Pottawatomie County Health Department
Legacy Parenting Center, Shawnee
Citizen Pottawatomie—Heart Health
Immanuel Baptist Church, Shawnee
Cakes for Kids
Ocean Dental, Shawnee
Tack Design