Neighbor News
Marblehead Businesses Step Up to Help Foster Children - Working with Department of Children and Families & Trouble the Dog
Collection Boxes at Local Businesses to Help Bring Trouble the Dog Plush Toys to Comfort Children in Foster Care
May is National Foster Care Month and Sheila Duncan, co-creator of the children’s character, Trouble the Dog, is working with several Marblehead businesses to help foster kids receiving services and care through the Cape Ann Department of Children and Families (DCF). The new Orange Leaf, Tony’s Pizza, Chet’s Video, Coldwell Banker, Café Italia, Ooh La La Salon, Beacon Hill Imports, Marblehead Opticians, Three Cod Tavern, Wags ‘N Whiskers, and Marblehead Community Store are among those businesses that are stepping up to be socially responsive. These companies have agreed to support an on-going campaign to help local foster children. Each business is sponsoring a Trouble the Dog “collection box” that will be on display near the registers where customers can help support this worthy cause.
The Cape Ann Department of Children and Families’ mission is to ensure that children are able to grow and thrive in a nurturing home environment. This sometimes requires the difficult decision of removing a child from his or her home – with very little that they can take with them. These children are from Marblehead, Salem, Beverly, Danvers, Hamilton, Wenham, Essex, Peabody, Manchester, Middleton, Rockport and Gloucester.
Ms. Duncan has been working with the Department of Children and Families for over six months. The plush Trouble dogs are found to be an incredible source of comfort for children when they are taken from their homes, especially when they are feeling scared and alone.
“There are hundreds of children in our local communities who are separated from their homes and families,” said Duncan, co-creator of the comfort character for children, Trouble the Dog. “As of 2014, there were over 400,000 American children in foster care, which is why we created a corporate program (troublethedog.com/initiatives/) to address this immediate, growing need.”
The collection boxes at these local businesses will help to engage awareness about foster care and allow people to be part of a meaningful program to deliver Trouble plush dogs to foster kids at the Cape Ann DCF.
“I'm very appreciative of the businesses who have stepped up - with John Wellington, the owner of Orange Leaf, leading the way," said Duncan. "These businesses will enable us to provide foster children with the love and support they need. Trouble the Dog is a proven means to help children in crisis - which propels us to try to get these plush comfort dogs into the arms of as many children as possible, giving them something of their own to hold - after so much has been taken away from them.”
“As a new business in town, I am overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of the Marblehead community,” said John Wellington, owner, Orange Leaf. “Kudos to residents like Sheila who are doing so much to help kids in our communities who need support.”
“We all look for comfort in our lives - whether it is a hug from our kids or a kind word of encouragement,” said Trish Brogna, owner of Tony’s Pizza. “I have known Sheila and all about Trouble the Dog for a long time. Tony and I will gladly display the collection box in our Pizza Shop because we know that Sheila is totally dedicated to helping kids who need hope.”
Trouble the Dog is a keepsake plush dog known to comfort and soothe children experiencing trouble in their lives. For more information about Trouble the Dog, visit:www.troublethedog.net. To learn more about Trouble the Dog’s corporate program to deliver Trouble plush dogs to help children in crisis, visit:troublethedog.com/initiatives/.
For information about the Cape Ann Department of Children and Families, or for those interested in learning more about foster care, please call: 1-800-508-KIDS.
