Delegate Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio recently hosted a public screening of Maryland Public Television’s (MPT) documentary, Foster Care Stories: A Place to Be at the Avalon Theatre in Easton, Maryland. Foster Care Stories:A Place to Be is a half-hour documentary that offers a close-up exploration of foster children capturing the stories of a diverse collection of people involved in the foster care system, many of whom are from the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Today, there are approximately 9,200 children in foster care in the state.

The event also featured a short discussion of the foster care system in Maryland and current efforts to recruit foster parents and community partners. Panelists included Cathy Mols of the Maryland Department of Human Resources; Michael D. Golden, MPT’s Managing Director of Communications; April Sharp, Director of Talbot County Department of Social Services; Osvaldina Gomes Daly, Director of Caroline County Department of Social Services; and Magalene Molock, Dynamic Team of Family Resources Association for Dorchester and Talbot Counties.

April Sharp, Director of Talbot County Department of Social Services, introduced current efforts in Talbot County to encourage businesses sponsors to get involved with this issue. She recognized Al Silverstein, President and CEO of the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce and Richard Slaughter, Editor of Attraction Magazine for their efforts in bringing awareness of this issue to local businesses and the community at large.

Michael D. Golden, MPT’s Managing Director of Communications, commented, “The purpose of this film is to stimulate discussion about foster care and to meet the needs of this vulnerable population.” He adds, “We hope the film will move people to act.”

MPT will rebroadcast Foster Care Stories: A Place to Be on November 20 at 9:30 p.m. During the broadcast, MPT will host a live phone bank with representatives of Maryland’s Department of Human Resources who will help connect viewers, with an interest in foster care, to the appropriate agencies in their home counties.

Partners for the Avalon event included Maritime Properties, LLC; Al Silverstein, Steward Writing & Communications, Dragonfly Designs, LLC; Liberty Printing, Inc., the Maryland Department of Human Resources; and Maryland Public Television.

For further information about becoming a foster parent, call 1-877-5FOSTER. For more information on the documentary, visit Maryland Public Television at www.mpt.org/mptinthecommunity.