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Manitowoc County proclaims May Foster Care Month; officials urge more foster homes and child-care support
Summary
The county board issued a proclamation designating May 2025 as Foster Care Month and also proclaimed April 30 National Therapy Animal Day. County foster-care staff said there are currently about 131 children in out-of-home care and described child-care shortages and the need for more licensed foster homes.
The Manitowoc County Board issued a proclamation declaring May 2025 as Foster Care Month and encouraged residents to consider becoming foster parents or supporting foster families.
The proclamation text read that 143 children and youth are in out-of-home care; a county human services representative speaking after the proclamation said the department’s most recent figure is 131 children currently in out-of-home placements. The proclamation also cited 48 licensed foster families and 10 licensed relative families; county staff reiterated that the program is recruiting more homes, including those able to take sibling groups.
A county Human Services representative said that childcare shortages are a major barrier to recruiting and retaining foster homes: without reliable childcare, some otherwise willing families are unable to accept placements. The representative explained the agency’s preference for kinship placements when possible and said the licensing process is thorough and lengthy to ensure child safety.
Two long-serving local foster parents accepted recognition during the meeting and described decades of experience. One foster parent said, “Foster care truly has been a blessing to our family,” and recounted fostering infants and older children over many years. County staff asked supervisors to help publicize recruitment efforts and said foster-care signage would appear in the community.
The board also proclaimed April 30 as National Therapy Animal Day and praised local therapy animal teams for providing comfort and support to veterans, seniors and students. (The proclamation text referenced national observances and urged citizens to recognize therapy animal teams.)
Why it matters: County officials highlighted both recognition of foster families and ongoing operational challenges — notably childcare gaps that limit placement capacity and a continuing need for licensed foster homes.
Discussion vs. action: The proclamations are ceremonial recognitions. County staff provided program statistics and requested assistance with recruitment and outreach; no new county policy or funding was adopted at the meeting.
Ending: County Human Services said it will continue community recruitment and outreach and invited supervisors and residents to contact the agency for volunteer and foster-parent information.
