CONCERN Professional Services for Children, Youth, and Families opened its doors forty-four years ago on January 01,1978. Initially established to provide quality foster care in a home setting, their services have grown to meet the needs of the community, including adoption, behavioral health, residential, and community-based services. They serve children and families with the mission to bring hope, offer opportunity, and inspire change, and a vision to encourage growth and promote positive, healthy lives.
Gordon May, President/CEO, states, “I was drawn to the non-profit field by my personnel life experience growing up. I was adopted by my grandparents at a very young age, never knew my biological dad, and my mom has lived with schizophrenia all of her life. Growing up, I was fortunate to have an amazing support system and services in school that supported all my needs. Without those services, and all those wonderful people in my life growing up, I’m not sure where I would be today.”
May adds, “I had my first “job” in the helping profession the summer after my senior year in high school working in a kids-at-risk program for our school district. I never had another job outside of the human service profession after that, and after that summer, I knew what I wanted to do, help others.”
What makes CONCERN different from other non-profit organizations is their amazing staff and board of directors who are dedicated to the agency’s mission and vision. They live, breathe, and bring life to their mission of “Hope, Opportunity, Change” each day, and at every level of the agency’s services.
CONCERN Foster Care families in the Lehigh Valley make a big difference for children in need of a safe and stable home. Kevin and Pamela Gross of Lehighton, Pennsylvania, have been fostering with CONCERN for nearly eleven years. They had discussed fostering years ago, and decided to move forward when their biological children were in college.
During their time with CONCERN, Kevin and Pamela have provided a loving, structured, and nurturing home to 30 foster children, mostly teen boys. Many children have flourished while being part of the Gross family, with achievements such as sports championships, attending college, learning to drive, gaining employment, self-sufficiency, and finding their forever family.
Kevin and Pamela said of foster care, “We had no intentions of adopting children but in the process you fall in love with the children that come to you. So, we have currently taken guardianship of two teenagers and adopted two boys. CONCERN has been a true blessing in helping us train to take care of the children that have lived with us over the years. CONCERN has been a great support, helping with transportation when we have had several children needing to be at appointments at the same time, providing finances for summer camp or activities the kids are interested in, and help with Christmas gifts.” Pamela is also currently enjoying the support group for foster parents that meet monthly.
To become a foster or adoptive parent, all you need is a safe and loving home with space in your home, your heart, and your time, to be matched with a child for whom you could make a world of difference.
Foster parents need to be at least 21 years old, pass criminal background checks, and demonstrate the stability and safety of their home.
CONCERN has monthly virtual events where you can learn more about foster care, adoption, and their services. Upcoming event dates are April 21, May 24, and June 21, 2022. Register for Info Meeting, or contact their Foster Care Recruiter, Janice Johnson, at 610-944-0445.
Please visit their website at www.concern4kids.org for more information about the agency.
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