1. 1095 N Van Ness Ave.
Fresno, Ca 93728
559-268-0000
By: Juanita Marquez
2. About:
Angels of Grace (AOG) Foster Family Agency is a non-profit agency that
addresses the needs of abused, neglected, and abandoned children within
Fresno and Madera County. Angels of Grace is under the coverage of Child
Protective Services and works as a team with them to meet the needs of
foster children. Foster children are provided with nurturing and loving care
from professional social workers and trained foster parents. AOG is
licensed through Community Care Licensing.
Lisa Casarez, Executive Director and CEO, founded Angels of Grace in 2000
upon completing her master’s degree in Social Work. Lisa has acquired more
than 10 years of successful experience in all phases of management, including
program development, budgeting, and coordinating in Human Service Systems
as well as case management (need assessments & treatment plans). In 2004,
Lisa received an award from the Fresno Council on Child Abuse Prevention for
her astonishing efforts. Lisa was also honored by the Valley Public Television and
Union Bank of California for the 5th annual local hero awards in 2005.
3. Mission Statement:
“As a team, we will create an environment of growth and
stability that will enhance the lives of children we serve.
We love, nurture, and protect the mind, body, and spirit of
children while respecting their culture. Our goal will be
achieved by putting the best interest of the child first.”
Vision Statement:
“Make a difference in the life of a child…become a future
foster parent!”
Goals:
To provide a nurturing, stable, and loving home to abused,
neglected, and abandoned children.
To provide a place of refuge, healing, human warmth, and
affection that has been denied to foster children.
To remain focused on the foster child’s needs and place
them in a foster home that will meet those needs.
4. SERVICES:
Specific populations at-risk:
Angels of Grace addresses the needs of foster care children ages 018 years who have been abandoned, abused, neglected, and who
are behaviorally disordered.
Services for Children and Teens:
Case management ( need assessments and needs & services)
Therapeutic Assistance: weekly face to face contact with FFA social
worker to discuss and address concerns and needs.
Crisis Intervention and support groups.
Referrals for drug, substance abuse, physical, emotional, and sexual
abuse counseling.
Recommendations for mental health and social services.
Services for Foster Parents:
In- House trainings: CPR, First Aid, and Parenting Classes.
Crisis interventions.
Therapeutic Assistance: weekly face to face contact with FFA social
worker to discuss and address concerns and needs.
Support Groups
5. COMMUNITY CONTEXT:
Communities Served:
Fresno and Madera
County; Geographic
Cultural Context & Incomes of community
served:
AOG mainly serves Caucasian, AfricanAmerican, and Hispanic foster parents,
which are heavily populated in the zip codes
and cities provided.
AOG also serves the needs of foster children
from all ethnic, religious, and cultural
backgrounds.
AOG recruits foster parents from all ethnic,
cultural, and religious backgrounds, singles,
married couples, and anyone with a stable
home and income over the age of 21.
The median income levels of foster parents
in these areas range from $46,000 to
$61,000.
areas:
Fresno: 93722,
93727, 93710,
92725, 93704,
93728,93702,
93726
Clovis: 93612, 93611
Sanger: 93657
Kerman: 93654
Reedley: 93622
Selma:93662
Laton: 93242
Chowchilla: 93610
Coarsegold: 93614
6. COMMUNITY CONTEXT CONTINUED:
Other Agencies/ Organizations that interact and provide services to clients:
Youth Link: court ordered mental health services to assist
children & their families in maintaining relationships
conductive with healthy emotional development.
CASA: court appointed advocates for children.
California Psychological Institute (CPI): professional counseling and
therapy services for children, adolescents, and their families.
Community Involvement:
Director / CEO; Lisa Casarez is actively involved in organizations such as the
Rotary, 9 to 5 for Christ, Marjaree Mason Center, Spirit of Women, Poverello
House, Fresno County Child Protective Services, Lighthouse, and many more.
Transportation:
Foster parents travel to the agency and other organizations that the agency
interacts with through the use of personal cars or the transportation provided by
Angels of Grace.
7. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE:
Board of Directors
Executive Director/CEO
Human Resources
FP Intake
Specialist
Info.
Technology
Accountant
Social Work Supervisor
FFA Social
Workers
FFA Social
Work Interns
8. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE:
Board of Directors:
Angels of Grace FFA:
President: Dr. Gregory Watts
CEO/Executive Director: Lisa Casarez
Vice President: Sylvia De La Torre
Human Resources : Gloria Canales
Secretary: Brenda Hyatt
Information Technology: Tynisha Nolan
Treasurer: Severina G. Rocha
Accountant: Ale
Member at Large; Gloria Kamarkovic
Foster Parent Intake Specialist: Rashell
Tinoco
Social Work Supervisor: Terry Ramirez
Social Workers: Alex and Laura Ramirez
Interns: Megan Johnson and Juanita Marquez
Top Management positions: Executive Director, Social Work Supervisor, and
Human Resources. Gloria Canales and Terry Ramirez supervise front-line
workers and interns at Angels of Grace.
Job positions under Management: FFA Social Workers, Accountant,
Information Technology, Foster Parent Intake specialist, and Interns.
Role of Clients/ Foster Parents: Foster parents are the primary individuals
who provide foster children with a loving, nurturing, safe, and stable home
that meets their needs.
9. ANGELS OF GRACE VALUES:
Social Work Values at AOG:
Service to clients
Social Justice to vulnerable populations
Dignity and Worth of the person
Importance of Human Relationships
Integrity, Competence, diversity, honesty, & Respect
Empowerment
Angels of Grace; employees, social workers, and foster parents
strive to put the child's best interest and needs first. FFA Social
Workers along with county social workers advocate for foster
children and make sure that they receive all social, economic,
cultural, civil, political, and collective rights they deserve. AOG
recognizes the importance of human relationships and the worth of
the person while serving clients. Angels of Grace acknowledges that
foster children deserve the right to equality, government regulation,
and all the services they are entitled to. Angels of Grace also strives
to empower foster children, foster parents, and employees.
10. International Agency:
Foster Care Associates (FCA), United Kingdom
FCA is an independent fostering agency that was funded in
1994 by Jim Cockburn and Jan Rees. It is the largest
independent agency in the UK. Foster Care Associates recruit
foster parents to look after and care for children who are
unable to stay with their own families. FCA foster parents
provide children with a safe, stable home, and support they
need to grow.
11. UNITED KINGDOM: FOSTER CARE ASSOCIATES
Mission Statement:
“To provide solutions
for individuals and
organizations that help
them achieve.”
Vision statement:
“Our vision is to make
a positive and lasting difference
for children and families.”
Organizational Structure:
Board of Directors:
Executive Chairman:
Jim Cockburn
Executive Directors:
David Oldham, Estella Abraham,
Jonathan Clark, Stephen
Grosvenor, and Alison Banks.
Non-Executive Directors:
Jan Rees, Paul Riley, and Sally
Melbourne.
Goals:
To provide foster children
with a safe, stable, and
loving home.
To provide foster children
with the services they need
to grow.
To put the needs of foster
children first.
12. UNITED KINGDOM: FOSTER CARE ASSOCIATES
Services to Foster Kids:
Tutoring
Children and Young Person’s
Support Service (CYPSS)
for:
-behavioral disorders
-social activities
Therapeutic Services
Social Work Support
-counseling
Services for Foster Parents:
Parenting & Support Classes
Social work support
Therapeutic services
Trainings: CPR and First Aid
Cultural & Community
Context:
FCA recruits foster parents
of all races and religions.
Foster parents and children
are from diverse cultures,
ethnic backgrounds, and
religions.
FCA also recruits men,
women, singles, LGBT, and
anyone over the age of 21
with compassion to become
a foster parent.
FCA strives to match
children and foster parents
from the same culture,
religion, or ethnicity in order
to provide stability, security,
and to support the child's
unique needs.
13. FOSTER CARE ASSOCIATES
Values:
Empowerment
Ambition for Children
Worth and Dignity of the
Person
Integrity, Honesty,
Respect, and Diversity
Social Justice
Importance of Human
relationships
Human Rights:
Right to government
regulation; water, food,
shelter, clean
environment, and access
to health care
Evaluation of Services:
FCA is subject by
OFSTED in England,
The Care Commission in
Scotland, and the Social
Services Inspectorate in
Wales.
FCA has received
“outstanding,” “Very
Good,” and “good” in all
areas of inspections.
FCA provides the
highest levels of services
and professionalism to
their clients.
