Foster Village Peoria

10/20/2026

👏 👏 HUGE thank you to Jeff Smith, Realtor for hosting Cooking for a Cause and supporting Foster Village Peoria. Jeff announced the winners for his raffle, jump over to Cooking for a Cause to see if you won! Our community raised $1,035 for our programs during the event. 🙌

Thank you to everybody that attended the event, brought in-kind donations, or made monetary gifts towards our programs. What an GREAT event, we are so thankful for such an amazing village! 🫶

If you missed the event, but still want to support Foster Village Peoria’s mission. You can donate (one-time or monthly) on our website: https://www.fostervillagepeoria.org/give

10/19/2026

Recently, we had the privilege of providing a welcome bag full of brand new items to a family who welcomed a sweet baby girl into their home. 🫶

They shared with us that a family member also fostered and told them about us, so they reached out for tangible support with their new placement!

Not only are we providing items that help meet a need for a child, but we’re showing the caregivers they have a village of support for the journey ahead. 🩵

10/18/2026

So thankful for Community Foundation of Central Illinois! 🫶

We’re thrilled to announce that CFCI has awarded over $356,000 in our 2026 Fall Community Needs Grants! 🌟

This year, 28 outstanding nonprofit organizations across Central Illinois will receive vital funding to support their missions and create lasting change. From empowering youth and supporting families to advancing health, education, and community development, these organizations are making a real difference every day.

Thank you to every nonprofit that applied and to all who work tirelessly to strengthen our region. Together, we’re building a brighter, more vibrant Central Illinois! 👏

Congratulations to our 2026 Fall Community Needs Grant recipients!

10/17/2026

This morning, caregivers attended a training on Prioritizing Caregiver Mental Health presented by Becca Price, an MSW Intern at Edge Counseling & Wellness in Peoria.

Caregivers got a chance to connect with each other, to practice checking in on their own mental health and needs, and took part in a few hands-on activities led by our speaker.

Not only did she provide helpful resources and tips to take home, but caregivers also had the chance to create a keychain as a visual reminder that it’s okay (& necessary) to prioritize their own needs so they can continue to care for their families well. She ended the time by facilitating a calming sound bath mediation for the group.

We are so thankful for Becca, her supervisor, Audrey, and Lily the therapy pup from Edge Cousneling & Wellness for joining us today. 🫶🩵

Here are a few tidbits from the training:

“Caregiving asks a lot of your attention, patience, nervous system, schedule, and heart. Taking care of your own health is not ‘taking away’ from a child — it helps make your caregiving more sustainable. Sustainable > superhero.”

“You matter in the care plan, too. Taking care of yourself does not make you less committed. It helps you keep showing up as a whole person.”

10/16/2026

Our Board of Directors is taking applications for new 2027 members. The board meets the second Tuesday of every other month. Please fill out your application by November 12, 2026.

Application link: https://www.fostervillagepeoria.org/board-of-directors

10/15/2026

✨ Thank you to Eli's Coffee Shop for featuring a donation creation to benefit the programs at Foster Village Peoria. Thank you for supporting the local foster care community and partnering with us. 🫶

10/14/2026

Join us on Saturday — this training is gonna be good! ✨🩵

We are hosting a free, in-person workshop from 9-11am. For more information and to register for this training, visit: https://fostervillagepeoria.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3822743

👉About the Workshop👈
It can be easy for caregivers to put the needs of others above their own, but we want to remind you and give you permission to prioritize your mental health, too. Join us for this in-person training for some practical tips, helpful reminders, and time to connect with other caregivers walking a similar journey to you.

The workshop is open to the public, but geared toward families in the Tri-County area. Business professionals and foster parents can receive a certificate of completion for attending. Foster parents may turn in certificates to agencies for continuing education credit; however, credit is up to agency discretion.

👉About the Presenter👈

Becca Price (she/her) is a Master of Social Work (MSW) intern passionate about supporting children, adults, and families through compassionate, strengths-based care.

She has experience working in elementary school settings, where she supported students’ emotional, behavioral, and social development while building meaningful relationships with children, families, and school staff.

Becca is dedicated to helping clients of all ages feel safe, heard, and understood. She strives to create a supportive and welcoming environment where children and adults alike can build confidence, strengthen emotional regulation, and develop healthy coping skills and healthy parent-child relationships. She has a particular interest in supporting individuals experiencing anxiety, ADHD, emotional regulation difficulties, self-esteem concerns, and family-related stressors.

Through a compassionate and individualized approach, Becca works alongside children, adults, and families to recognize their strengths, navigate challenges, and develop skills that promote emotional well-being and resilience.

10/13/2026

In case you missed it — this month (and this month only!) we have our fall fundraiser. You can grab some merch, spread the word about FVP, & support our programs while you’re at it.

Win - Win - Win.

The shop is OPEN NOW and will close on October 30th, so order today!

🔗 Shop Here: https://fostervillage.itemorder.com/shop/home/

10/13/2026

Cheriz, our Executive Director, spent the day at Illinois State University speaking to seniors on campus during their Real World Teacher Lab preparing them for their future careers as Special Education Teachers. Cheriz shared the parent perspective to the students and also spoke to ways teachers can help support kids affected by foster care within the school system to help set them up for success.

10/11/2026

Join us tomorrow for our next educational training!

This is a free, virtual training available to anyone! Whether your family has adopted, you’re curious how to support an adopted family, or you’re a community member who works with families post-foster care, we hope all will find this to be a valuable training!

Finding Support After Adoption & Guardianship

About the Training: This workshop will provide resources for families who are on the other side of foster care and are working to find support after adoption and guardianship. We'll discuss local resources, common challenges, navigating biological family contact and involvement, and how to address some common questions that kids may have down the road about their story. If you have adopted or have guardianship through foster care or anticipate that coming soon, make sure to join this valuable training!

About the Presenter: Marissa Brown, MA, LCPC graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor's in Psychology and earned a master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Bradley University. She has over 6 years of experience working as a counselor and was an adoption preservation therapist for 3 years before making the switch to private practice. She currently work with people from all walks of life helping them reach their goals and improve their lives.

Register to attend here: https://fostervillagepeoria.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3887370 You must register beforehand to receive the Zoom link.