QPI, Caregiver Support Team brings families together for a very special Thanksgiving dinner

November 1, 2019

St. Lucie West -

What began as one woman's vision to bring together biological and foster families to celebrate Thanksgiving is now a local committee effort to celebrate the power of co-parenting.

Biological families will join their children and the foster families caring for them for a very special Thanksgiving dinner November 23 at the Sunlight Community Church, in Port St. Lucie.

The Albert Wilson Foundation will supply the turkeys, and a committee composed of QPI (Quality Parenting Initiative) members and CCKids' Caregiver Support staff will provide all the trimmings.

"It's an opportunity for children in foster care to celebrate the holiday with their families while also demonstrating the power of co-parenting," said Jerra Wisecup, who coordinated a similar project many years ago in Georgia.

Co-parenting is a best practice championed in recent years by QPI that encourages partnership between families while children are in foster care. Research shows that co-parenting creates better transitions for children returning home and provides on-going supports to vulnerable families.

"I am honored to be a part of such an awesome event," said Rose Bailey, an adoptive mom and former foster parent who also serves on the QPI committee. "We hope everyone will see how sharing a holiday meal can create beautiful memories and forge lasting relationships, because wee're all in this together."