K9's FOR KIDS GOES FIESTA WITH "ON THE BORDER" RESTAURANT!

Walking to raise funds to help children in foster care in New Jersey has teamed up with On The Border for a real “doggone” fiesta! On Sunday, October 5, 2014, Foster and Adoptive Family Services Foundation, a 501(c)(3), and their supporters will gather at Beech Woods Park in South Brunswick, NJ to participate in the second annual K9’s for Kids Dogs and Their Humans Walk for Children in Foster Care. Proudly sponsored by On The Border, who will be giving away chips, salsa, lemonade and iced tea to all participants, there will be music, giveaways, vendor marketplace, 50/50 and basket raffles, pet parade, and award ceremony for best-dressed pet and best fundraiser.

Registration begins at 12 noon. The walk begins at 1:30 pm. Pet parade and award ceremony will immediately follow walk. Vendor marketplace will be open from 12 noon to 4 pm. Walkers of all ages and well-behaved, leashed dogs of all sizes are encouraged to come out and enjoy for a good cause. To register or get more information, please visit www.fafsfoundation.org. All dogs walk FREE, donation for one walker is $20. Walkers can also set up fundraising teams on the organization website to compete for best fundraiser award.

Lisa DeMarco, a Monroe Township resident, East Brunswick business owner, FAFS Foundation Vice-President, and K9’s for Kids event coordinator, has strong ties to the cause behind the walk. She is also a foster and adoptive parent and loving dog-owner. Darwin, the family’s large, gray, shaggy Afghan hound, is the center of love and calm in their hectic daily routine. He is also the official greeter at their store, The Bird House, on Route 18 in East Brunswick. “Dogs add so much to the happiness of family life. I mean, just look, after tragedies and trauma, dogs are used therapeutically to help other people. Like in the Boston Marathon bombings and after 9/11, they were such important parts of the healing process for the victims. This event means a lot to me and my family

because Darwin is such an important part of our lives, and so it is just natural that we can hold an event where our pets are helping kids in need all over New Jersey and we’re showcasing that.”

“A stable and supportive foster home can make a tremendously positive impact on the outcome of a child’s life,” says Janet Farrand, President of FAFS Foundation. “FAFS works tirelessly to make sure that foster families and the children in their care have the resources, services, and support they need to be a healthy and thriving part of the community.”

Formed in December 2008, the FAFS Foundation’s mission is to support New Jersey’s abused and neglected children. The fundraising efforts of the FAFS Foundation provide critical financial support for Foster and Adoptive Family Services (FAFS), its mission, and programs. FAFS is the only nonprofit organization in New Jersey serving as a unified voice for foster, adoptive, and kinship families. Walking in this event will help sustain programs which help over 7,000 New Jersey children in foster care participate in extracurricular activities, celebrate the holidays with separated siblings and peers who share the same experiences, and plan for college and independent living. FAFS’ many programs, including Fostering Wishes, has helped children in care get computers for school, safe play areas for their neighborhood, financial assistance for college, and special needs equipment, all lending to improved futures for New Jersey children.

K9’s for Kids – Dogs and Their Humans Walk for Children in Foster Care is an outdoor event being held rain or shine. Registration for all walks begins at 12 noon. The walk begins at 1:30 pm. Pet parade and award ceremony immediately following walk. Get more information at www.fafsfoundation.org or call (609) 977-4880. All proceeds will go to Foster and Adoptive Family Services Foundation, a 501(c)(3).