Family & Children's Services of Guelph and Wellington County
275 Eramosa Rd Guelph, ON, Canada

Are you passionate about the well-being of children, youth and families in Guelph and Wellington, and looking for an opportunity to make a difference? We are inviting applications for community members to join our Board and Board Committees. If you are interested, or would like to submit an application, please visit http://ow.ly/iWDU50E7FQb or call us by phone at 519-824-2410 ext. 4112. Our application deadline has been extended to Monday, April 12th.... Join us, and make a real and lasting difference for children, youth and families in Guelph and Wellington County.

With just over a week remaining in our #CFGW30in30 challenge, we are only 2,000 meals away from hitting our goal of 30,000 meals! That means in the last 3 wee...ks, we have raised enough funds to provide 28,000 nutritious meals to local students. All thanks to our incredible sponsors and donors, like you! Can we hit 30,000 meals in the next 9 days? Help us reach our goal by visiting www.livefreecampaign.ca #CFGW #CFGWLiveFree #FeedingHungryMinds #StudentNutrition #CommunityFirst #GiveBack

We are inviting applications for Board and Board Committee members with a commitment to the well-being of children and families in the Guelph- Wellington community. To learn more, or submit an application, please visit https://www.fcsgw.org/board-of-directors-2/ All applications must be received by Friday, March 26th.

Thank you to our staff, our foster, adoptive and kin families, our volunteers, donors, and community partners, and everyone from our community who continues to make a difference in the lives of the children, youth and families that we work with. The work that we do could not happen without each and every one of you. You are our heroes.... #ThankYouThursday #Grateful

Thank you, Tim Hortons, for your encouraging words and incredible donation of coffee and cookies for our staff! There are a lot of happy faces around the office today! #Grateful #TimsforGood

Wishing everyone in Guelph and Wellington County a wonderful and memorable Family Day! Though our offices are closed today, we have someone on duty to assist if needed. If you need to reach us, please call 519-824-2410 or toll free at 1-800-265-8300.

"This month, and every month, let's focus on inspiring positive change within our homes, our neighbourhoods, our workplaces, our community, and beyond." A message on Black Heritage Month from Sheila Markle, Executive Director, Family & Children's Services of Guelph and Wellington

It’s 211 Day! This is a challenging time, but you’re not alone. Dial 2-1-1 to connect with social programs and services nearby. Help raise awareness of 211 with your friends and family by using #211DayCanada and #HelpStartsHere.

Just before the Holidays, Katrina and Jarret from Old Dutch Foods came by our Eramosa office and dropped off boxes and boxes filled with chips and cheese sticks for the children, youth and families we support! Thanks to this generous donation, the youth that we support now have some extra goodies available to take home from our youth pantry, or munch on during a visit to our youth room! And for our families who are visiting together, our kitchen will be well-stocked with these extra snacks for a yummy treat! Thank you, Old Dutch Foods Canada, for thinking of us, and for sharing these special treats with the children, youth and families we serve!

At 21, when most youth are still living at home with their families, many of the youth we serve are leaving care, and may not have any family support to help them. Our Children First Fund continues to provide support to youth as they make the difficult transition out of care, made possible by the incredible generosity of our community! If you would like to impact the lives of youth leaving care, please consider a donation toward our Children First Fund: https://www.fcsgw.or...g/children-first-fund-2/donate-today/ Together, we can make the transition out of care a little easier.

We are all going through some really big challenges right now. If you are struggling, we are here to support you, anytime, day or night. Reach out to us at 519-824-2410. We are here to help! #heretohelpON

Today marks the first day of Black Heritage Month, a time for celebration of Black Culture and Heritage, and recognition of the many accomplishments of Black/African Canadians, and Black/African citizens worldwide. As the Guelph Black Heritage Society has acknowledged, this month is about more than just a reflection on the past - it should also be about celebrating the present, and looking forward to the future. This month, consider participating in the Guelph Black Heritag...e Society's #ChangeStartsNow initiative, found here: https://www.guelphblackheritage.ca/changestartsnow/ We have also shared a variety of resources, resource lists and events on our website to explore this month, here: https://www.fcsgw.org/february-is-black-heritage-month/ Together, let's raise awareness about and celebrate Black/African Culture and Heritage, reflect on and tackle racial inequality and social injustice, and inspire positive change within our homes, neighbourhoods, workplaces, community, and beyond. #BlackHeritageMonth #BlackHistoryMonth2021

Ever wonder what it's really like to be a foster parent? Last month, we sat down with Laura, a current foster parent, to learn more about how making the decision to become a foster parent has impacted her and her family. It is almost like being on a roller coaster. You hop on, and you’re buckled in. The ride attendant checks that you’re good to go, gives you the thumbs up, and you’re off. It’s not always easy, especially as you navigate past all of the bumps and twists alon...g the way, but you know that no matter what happens, you’re buckled in, and you have people around you who are there to ensure that you make it safely through to the end of the ride. So, even if it’s a bit of a wild ride, you know that you will have all the support that you need. And, like a roller coaster ride, it’s something you’ll never forget." - Laura, Foster Parent Read more about Laura's story in the link below. https://www.fcsgw.org/whats-it-like-to-be-a-foster-parent/

Have you ever thought about becoming a foster parent for teenagers? The Hackett Family, in the video below, share what it's like to be foster parents to not just one, but three teenage siblings (video created by Heartland for Children - heartlandforchildren.org). Think you have what it takes to invest in the lives of teens as a foster parent? Reach out to us at 519-824-2410 or by email at [email protected] to find out more, or sign up for an information session.... https://vimeo.com/430024429

This past year has been tough on everyone. If you are struggling, reach out to us. You can even call us anonymously just to ask questions. You can reach us at 519-824-2410, day or night. We are here to help! http://ow.ly/RksV50D2t07

Today is Bell Let’s Talk Day, and Bell is donating 5 cents to Canadian mental health programs for every applicable text, local or long distance call, tweet or TikTok video using #BellLetsTalk, every Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube view of the Bell Let’s Talk Day video, and every use of the Bell Let’s Talk Facebook frame or Snapchat filter. All at no cost to participants beyond what they would normally pay their service provider for online or phone access. If you are struggling, or you know someone who is, please visit CMHA Waterloo Wellington's website at https://cmhaww.ca/ to find services and supports. Or, call their 24/7 helpline at 1-844-HERE-247 to access addictions, mental health and crisis services. Together, let's begin the conversation. #BellLetsTalk

Thank you so much to Sport Chek Stone Road Mall for making sure our youth stockings are full of amazing goodies with your generous donation of toques and stickers! Thank you for helping to make the holidays a little brighter for the youth that we support!

SAVE THE DATE! Join 1vision1voiceca on Wednesday February 24, 2021 for the PowerUp! Black/#AfricanCanadian youth symposium! Contact your CAS worker for details about registration, and how you can get involved! #PowerUp2021 #1vision1voice

The cold weather is here. This is reminder that our community has a Cold Weather Response Plan for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness. Please share widely. More info: https://www.gwpoverty.ca/community-cold-weather-response/

Giving Tuesday is less than a week away! Will you help us provide critical support for children, youth and families who are struggling right now? Learn more at... http://fcsgw.org/abrightertomorrow See more

HEALTH ALERT Please share widely! Recently, increases in overdoses have been seen in Guelph and surrounding areas in addition to a fatal overdose. Go slow & don’t use alone. Stay safe! #OverdosePrevention #HealthAlert #HarmReduction

As the COVID-19 crisis drags on, it continues to create new and greater challenges for the children, youth and families that we support. Today, we are launching a new campaign so that we can continue to provide critical support to struggling children, youth and families through this crisis. Please donate today. Together, we can make tomorrow a little brighter. ... www.fcsgw.org/abrightertomorrow

Many of our programs and services rely heavily on the work of our amazing volunteers. Thank you to our volunteers for all that you make possible for the children, youth and families that we work with, especially during such a challenging time!

Trans, two-spirit, non-binary & gender diverse people continue to face discrimination & violence. Today, we observe Transgender Day of Remembrance. Let us honour and remember those killed by anti-transgender violence. #transgenderdayofremembrance

Your support makes so much possible for the children, youth and families we work with. With your help, we can be there for more children, youth and families who are facing big challenges right now. Thanks to your incredible support, we are now more than half-way to our fundraising goal of $10,000! If you would like to help us reach our goal, and help more children, youth and families, it's not too late! You can make your gift at http://ow.ly/7WOo50CGR4Q

We are in need of foster homes for sibling groups and older children. Is this something you have been thinking about? A Foster Care worker can answer any questions you may have. Call us at 519-824-2410 or www.fcsgw.org to learn more about the process of being a foster parent #FCSgw

Our next foster and adopt virtual information session takes place on Thursday, November 19, from 6pm - 7pm. To register, contact Mel at 519-824-2410 x. 2315

We wear purple today to show support for the children, youth and families that we support in our community. Jackie and Bethany #IDressPurpleBecause #DressPurpleDay

"We wear purple because we want to show our support for children, youth and families" - Dawn and Amanda #IDressPurpleBecause #DressPurpleDay

November 20th is National Child Day, a day that has been celebrated across Canada since 1993 to commemorate the United Nations' adoption of two documents centered on children's rights (the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child). All children have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, have a voice, be protected from harm, and have every opportunity to reach their full potential. You can l...earn more about the Convention on the Rights of the Child here http://ow.ly/zy8s50Cqf8T #NationalChildDay

Today, we celebrate National Philanthropy Day. Thank you to all of our donors for the significant role that you play in helping to support the needs of the children, youth and families that we work with. If you would like to help, please visit our website at http://ow.ly/pj1y50Ccw41 or call Jenna at 519-824-2410 x. 3299

Today, we celebrate World Kindness Day. Let's all work to be a little kinder to each other! #worldkindnessday #bekind

This week marks Transgender Awareness Week, a week dedicated to celebrating, honouring and raising the visibility of the trans community. We advocate for the visibility, protection, dignity and rights of trans, non-binary and gender-expansive people around the world. For more information about Transgender Awareness Week, visit https://www.glaad.org/transweek #transgenderawarenessweek

Today, Mayor Cam Guthrie stopped by and wore his purple shirt to raise awareness about the important role that individuals and communities play in supporting vulnerable children, youth, and families. Thank you Mayor Cam Guthrie for your support! #IDressPurpleBecause #DressPurpleDay #FCSGW

We dress purple because we care about the safety and well-being of children and youth, and want them to know that we are here for them. -Laurie and Leisha

Today is #Dress Purple Day. Tune in tonight to hear Dave Morrow from our organization talk about the support we provide children and families in our community!

I wear purple to show that there is support for children and youth in our community. FCSGW cares and we are here to support families especially during this difficult time. -Sheila Markle #IDressPurpleBecause #DressPurpleDay

I dress purple to show children, youth and families that they are not alone. I want our community to know we are here to help! -Jenna Why do you dress purple? #IDressPurpleBecause #DressPurpleDay

On Dress Purple Day we remind families that help is available and no one is alone. Today, on Dress Purple Day, we make sure families, especially those facing additional hardships during COVID-19, know that there are resources and services available to help them. We dress purple to remind them we are one of the places families can turn to for help. Find out more about the campaign here: www.oacas.org/dresspurpleday/ #IDressPurpleBecause #DressPurpleDay

We all have a role to play in supporting vulnerable children, youth, and families in Ontario. On October 27, Family and Children's Services of Guelph and Wellington County will dress purple to show our support for the vulnerable children, youth, and families in our community. Join the Dress Purple Day campaign to make sure your friends, family, neighbours, and community know that you are hereto help, and no one is alone. Learn more: www.oacas.org/dresspurpleday/

Thanks to all of our foster families for attending the virtual appreciation event last night. We appreciate everything you do #FamilytoFamily

We thank all our of foster families that made the decision to make a difference for other families, children and youth in Guelph and Wellington County #familytofamily

Thanks to our foster families for following their calling. Thinking about fostering? Go to www.fcsgw.org to learn more

Thanks to all of our foster families for reuniting children with their families