March 1 fundraiser helps ‘Embrace’ foster families

The American Legion Hall will once again host the annual Gala Madi Gras, a fund-raising event to raise both money for, and awareness of, the multi-county program, supporting Missouri’s 10th Judicial Circuit’s Children’s Division. Pictured in the 2024 fest. This year’s event will be March 1. Contributed photo.

MARY LOU MONTGOMERY

What would your immediate needs be, should you be removed from your home with little notice, through no fault of your own?

The answer to that question is the premise behind the all-volunteer support group, “Embrace.”

Embrace supports children who have been removed from their homes, and the foster parents who step forward to take them in.

“We’re here to help,” said Beth Brothers, the organization’s volunteer executive director. Embrace provides pajamas, underwear, and athletic pants of all sizes.

But there’s much more to Embrace than putting clothes on children’s backs. There are needs for beds and bedding, baby items and diapers.

To facilitate the needs of children in the foster care system, each spring Embrace hosts its annual Gala Madi Gras, a fund-raising event to raise both money for, and awareness of, this multi-county program, supporting Missouri’s 10th Judicial Circuit.

The event will be from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 1, 2025, at the American Legion Hall, 3819 Highway MM, Hannibal. There will be live music by Stone Hill, dinner catered by Rebel Pig, and both live and silent auctions.

Tickets, at $40 each, may be reserved by Feb. 21 by contacting Katie at (573) 248 7048.

Sponsorships, at the $1,000, $500 and $250 level, are available.

Proceeds will support the Children’s Division of the court’s three-county’s jurisdiction.

“One of our goals is to take some of the load off of the Children’s Division,” Brothers said. “They used to have to try to find kids’ clothes or get (the children) beds. This has taken some of the burden off of them.

“We want to be there to supply stuff, so they don’t have to panic because they don’t have a bed, or all those baby things. It is overwhelming. This takes away some of the stress.”

Embrace maintains a shop, which is open by appointment, where donated and purchased items are stored. The building space is donated, but Embrace is responsible for paying the building’s utilities.

The board consists of Brothers, as executive director;

Crystal Moore, president;

Dawn Hattey, vice president;

Jordahn Leonard, secretary;

Tim Kosveit, treasurer;

Melissa Kolb, fund raising chairperson;

and Brad Williams, Stephanie Whaley, Gay Phillips and Lyndsay Zimmerman.

Two programs

There are actually two programs supported by Embrace; one involves children who have been removed from their homes, and the other supports “at risk children who might still be in their biological home, but border on being taken away,” Brothers said. “Sometimes they just need beds. We help these families, as long as they are an open case with the Children’s Division.”

They don’t turn anybody away for geographic reasons. The 10th Judicial Circuit encompasses Marion, Ralls and Monroe counties, but they have also fulfilled requests for support from Lewis, Adrain and Pike counties. “They don’t have organizations like this, especially to the north; it is more rural up that way,” Brothers said.

Embrace, which has been serving the Children’s Division for four years, has been the recipient of local grants, from the Community Foundation out of Quincy, Ill., and the Sammy Fund, “but the biggest chunk of our income comes from our fundraisers,” Brothers said. In addition to the spring Mardi Gras, the organization hosts a golf tournament in October.

“Community donors, they think we are doing a good thing. We have sponsors, and local businesses have been very supportive of us.

“I think there are around 250 foster kids in this circuit,” Brothers said. “Im not sure how many licensed homes we have, maybe 60. We have a large per capita number of kids in foster care in Marion County.”

Embrace does accept donations of gently used clothing, with “no stains or tears,” Brothers said.

They also offer gift cards.  “We have resources, but if we don’t have what they need, they can go get things.”

In addition to basic needs, Embrace offers extracurricular scholarships to allow foster children to participate in school activities, such as camps, to purchase prom dresses, “or whatever is needed so they can have a normal life.”

They are also able to fulfill requests, such as gas cards to allow for taking kids to the doctor or testing out of town; or tows when the car breaks down while the children are visiting their parents.”

Embrace has quarterly drawings for $200 Aldi gift cards for foster families.

They also provide college or trade school scholarships every year, $1,000 for a child who applies.

There is also training for foster parents, regarding trauma, informed care and for kids who have been through trauma.

For information about Embrace, call (573) 340-5796.