HANNIBAL, Mo. — The George H. Riedel Foundation has awarded $5,800 to Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries to completely fund activities for Hannibal Community Groups that support local foster families.
The Hannibal Community Groups meet monthly, allowing foster parents and their children to meet with other families involved in foster care. These groups provide encouragement, stability, and support to help foster families succeed. The programs include parent support sessions, age-appropriate activities for children, and life skills training like cooking classes for older youth.
The Marion, Ralls, Monroe, and Lewis County region has about 220 children in foster care and just 140 licensed homes available. This shortage often forces children to move outside their home counties, disrupting visitation with biological parents and delaying reunification. Children may have to start a new school or be separated from siblings. Foster families who take in multiple children to prevent these moves face increased stress and risk burnout.
Coyote Hill’s Hannibal Community Groups help alleviate these pressures by offering:
- Monthly parent support groups led by trained staff, experienced foster/adoptive parents, and mental health professionals
- Children’s groups facilitated by staff and trained volunteers, providing consistent, safe, and nurturing interactions
- Life-skills classes that build confidence and independence for older youth
- Meals, crafts, games, and structured activities that strengthen family bonds and support emotional well-being
The Riedel Foundation grant will fund a full year of activities for the Hannibal Community Group.