Community Partners: 

REFERRAL BONUS PROGRAM

What is the Referral Bonus Program?

The Referral Bonus Program is intended to help A Better Way outreach to more quality foster and foster-to-adopt parents by utilizing members of the communities it serves (Community Partners.)  The hope is that businesses, churches, organizations, and individuals of the community will refer people to A Better Way to become foster and foster to adopt parents... and help us place many more children into safe and loving homes!

In gratitude for this help A Better Way will provide a monetary gift (bonus.) This means that for each foster parent referred $450.00 will be given and for each foster to adopt parent referred $150.00 will be given. Gifts will only be distributed when a child is placed in the home of the family that was referred and has completed their certification with A Better Way.

Why is this program important?

• A Better Way is a small non-profit organization that does not have funding for expensive advertising campaigns. Word of mouth referrals are vital in recruitment of foster and foster-adoptive parents.

• There is a shortage of quality foster homes and foster to adopt homes in the greater Bay Area.

• Nearly 4000 children in California will emancipate from foster care in 2007 without at least one stable adult in their lives.

• Nearly 54,450 children in foster care will not return to their birth families and are in need of a forever family.

• Many older children, over the age of eleven, go into group home care simply because there are not enough foster families to care for them.

• 51, 062 of children in foster care are part of a sibling group. Many sibling groups are separated because there is not enough foster families that can care for sibling groups of three or more children.

• Many children are being placed in homes out of their communities because there are not enough foster families to care for them in their communities.

• There are many people who want to help children in foster care, but are unable to become foster parents themselves. This program gives them a way to help.

Who can be a Community Partner?

• Anyone who is interested in helping children in foster care can become a Community Partner.

• Businesses, individuals, organizations, or churches can participate as Community Partners

What does a Community Partner do?

• They spread the word about the need for foster and foster to adopt parents in the greater Bay Area through day to day conversations, newsletters, events, and by posting information in their place of business, organization, or church.

• They are provided A Better Way brochures, flyers, business cards, and other A Better Way outreach items to help them spread the word.

To become Community Partner in SF, Contra Costa, or Alameda Counties contact:

To become Community Partner in Santa Clara County contact:

Heather Duval at (408) 886-4084