Help Foster Kids From Cuyahoga County; Learn How To Pitch In

CHAGRIN FALLS, OH — The county director of a program for young adults who have matriculated out of the foster care system will speak at an event in Chagrin Falls on April 23. Amber Donovan, the county director of Open Table, will be appearing at Saint Martin's Episcopal Church.

The event is free and open to the public. Donovan will begin speaking at 6 p.m.

Open Table creates a space where young adults from the Cuyahoga County foster care system can come and speak with one another. "Young people look forward to coming to the table because it is a place of peace and belonging. The youth-led partnership promotes new experiences through action, love and lasting relationships," the group's website said.

More broadly, Open Table wants to create a system of permanent social support for these young people. They pair participants with volunteers and make a safe space for relationships to flourish. Here are some participants talking about the impact the program had on their lives.

In 2017, the county announced that more than 2,000 children were in foster care. That was the highest number of local children in foster care since 2011.

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