The Barkley Center’s Center for Child and Family Well-Being at UNL and the Boys Town National Research Institute are partnering with the Letterbox Club program to provide educational packages to children in Nebraska’s foster care system.
The Letterbox Club is an educational program developed in the United Kingdom for looked-after children ages 7 to 11. The program is aimed at improving the educational outlook of youth in foster care by providing activities and books mailed to the child’s foster home.
Children in foster care are removed from their families, often struggle academically, and may bounce from home to home with few personal items, and even fewer emotional supports. Personalized mailings let the youth know that someone is thinking about them and provides the kids possessions to take wherever they go.
The Barkley Center has supported 10 children in the last two years. The 2013 goal is to mail packages to 15 children in foster care over the next six months.
Faculty, staff and students can give monetary donations to help send packages filled with books, math activities, games, stationary and handwritten letters to each of the children.
Donations will be accepted through Dec. 20.
For more information, or to donate, contact Lisa Pollard at lpollard2@unl.edu or 402-472-6246.