The 2013 Foster Parents of the Year for metropolitan Washington were honored for their commitment to their foster sons and daughters as well as to the children's birth families.
City of Alexandria Foster Family of the Year: Matt and Carole Keane are foster parents that embody the concept of "Bridging the Gap." The Keanes work with the team to help find solutions that are child-focused and respectful to birth families. Recently the Keanes fostered a 3 year old; the child was able to make a successful and smooth transition to a relative's care. This was largely due to the Keanes' work in building a relationship with these relatives. They included the relatives in family activities such as the child's soccer games and gymnastics lessons. They also often had the relatives over to their home for dinner. As a result of this "Bridging the Gap" work, the child was able to make a smooth transition to his relative's care all the while being able to continue having ties with the Keanes.
The Parent Leadership Training Institute appointed Adrienne Fikes to executive director. Fikes served as a board member for more than eight years and helped build the organization and mission the institute represents today. The Parent Leadership Training Institute works to equip parents with civics and advocacy skills to improve parental involvement in their child’s health, safety and learning.