Lockport's Role in Helping Children in Foster Care

Sometimes children are in need of an alternative living arrangement when circumstances at home are not ideal for them. There are 391,000 children in the US in foster care (Children’s Bureau, 2023). Center for Youth and Family Solutions (2023) reports that 21,000 of these children are in Illinois. In Will County, there are 363 children in the system. CYFS statistics also indicate that these numbers have grown since the onset of Covid. Unfortunately, the increase of children in the foster care system is not matched with a growth in the number of available foster parents.

During my research on foster care, I discovered that Lockport is home to SOS Children’s Village, an agency devoted to providing a sense of home and community to local children in foster care. People pass by the multiple buildings on Village Lane in Lockport, but it is unknown by many that these buildings are home to ninety children. The buildings on Village Lane are homes, a workshop, a village director’s house, offices, and a community center for many activities and social events.

SOS has given many children a safe and loving environment since it opened its doors in 1993. Below is a link to the SOS Children’s Village website for those who are wanting to donate. This Easter holiday season, you can not only celebrate with your friends and family, but you can also put a smile on many faces by donating.

Link to SOS Children’s Village Donations: sosillinois.org

Works Cited:

Center for Youth Services. (2023). Foster Parent Shortage Across Illinois. Retrieved from: https://foxillinois.com/news/local/foster-parent-shortage-across-illinois

Children’s Bureau. (2023). May is National Foster Care Month.
Retrieved from: https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/