WS Chronicle

The Twin City Alumni chapter of North Carolina A&T State University made a donation of 25 duffel bags to SAYSO,  Strong Able Youth Speaking Out Youth, advocacy organization which works with youth in foster care.  Mrs. Roslyn Lentz, a member, brought the idea of giving duffel bags to the group because many of them travel around with their belongings in trash bags. She introduced us to Ms. Carmelita Coleman, director of the agency.  May is National Foster Care month and the presentation was made on May 1, 2021.

Children in foster care are from all walks of life and range from young children to young adults. There are thousands of children in foster care in North Carolina alone. North Carolina law requires that foster parents are licensed by the North Carolina Division of Social Services with families working through their local Department of Social Services or a licensed private agency. The minimum age to become a foster parent is 21. You can foster if you are single, married, divorced or widowed; own or rent; have parenting experience of none at all.

Fostering can lead to adoption. Fostering is with the expectation to give a child or children opportunities to develop to their full potential physically, academically, socially and emotionally.

The Alumni Chapter gives back to the university as it also tries to reach youth in the community. The gift was well-received by SAYSO, as the gift will have a positive effect upon the youth receiving them.

Officers of the chapter are: Daniel Piggott, president; Renna Giles, vice president; Regina Barr, secretary; Clifton Carmon, treasurer; James Kennedy, Jr., chaplain and Billy Simmons, parliamentarian. The fiscal year wraps up on June 30, 2021.