News from Wheeler

Garrett entered his senior year of high school with the goal of attending college. However, the track-and-field athlete needed assistance in getting over some hurdles to reach his goals. He was referred to LifeSet, which is called Transitional Supports for Emerging Adults (TSEA) in Connecticut.

A short video with Sharon Pendleton-Ponzani, director, Wheeler Foster Care Programs, highlights the need for loving foster homes in Connecticut and what individuals and families can do to help.

John and Brian Pica-Sneeden started their foster care journey nearly 30 years ago. Since then, they have adopted six of their foster children – one as recently as last month!

Sharon Pendleton-Ponzani, director, Wheeler’s Foster Care program, was a guest on Connoisseur Media’s “For the People Radio” show on November 17, where she highlighted Wheeler’s foster care programs and discussed the significance of National Adoption Month.

November is National Adoption Month, which is designed to raise awareness about the critical need for adoptive families for children and youth in foster care. It’s also a time to consider the urgent need for foster homes for hundreds of children and youth in Connecticut.

Four years ago, Amy Borg’s empty nest in a central Connecticut suburb offered an opportune time to become a foster parent. But her desire to help youth, especially girls, began long before then.

This month, as part of National Foster Care Month, Brooklyn Baking Company, 464 Reidville Drive, Waterbury, is selling a special version of its well-loved donut decorated in blue to mark the observance.

May is National Foster Care Month, an annual observance to recognize and support children, youth, and families in the foster care system.

Wheeler is offering an inspiring training, TIPS-MAPP, Trauma-Informed Partnering for Safety and Permanence - Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting, starting April 15, 2024, to prepare prospective foster parents and families for the role of fostering a child or youth in Waterbury and surrounding towns.

Wheeler is offering an inspiring training, TIPS-MAPP, Trauma-Informed Partnering for Safety and Permanence - Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting, starting January 29, 2024, to prepare prospective foster parents and families for the role of fostering a child or youth in Waterbury and surrounding towns.

The holiday season can be challenging for families under the best of circumstances. For youth in foster care, the season may be even harder because of past loss, the absence of family rituals, uncertainty about the future, and a strong yearning to belong. Here are some tips for making the most of the holiday season with your foster child.

Nikki Korth, LCSW, program manager, Wheeler Foster Care, was a guest on Connoisseur Media’s “For the People” radio show yesterday and discussed the benefits of adoption, foster care, and the need for loving families and homes in Connecticut.

If you or someone you know has cared for a relative’s child, you could be an amazing fit as a Wheeler Foster Care Kinship Navigator. In this role, you will work alongside members of a caring, professional team while drawing from your lived experience to support youth and their foster families.

Family activities and more will be part of a Chalk Walk event at the Wheeler Family Health & Wellness Center, 855 Lakewood Road, Waterbury, on Saturday, June 24, from noon to 3pm.

The need for loving foster homes for youth, particularly teens, continues to be urgent, and Sharon Pendleton-Ponzani, LCSW, director, Wheeler Foster Care Programs, discussed this need yesterday during a WFSB - Channel 3 Eyewitness News Interview.