The Bluebird Parade for Children in Foster Care
Friday, May 5 | 5:00 – 6:00 pm
“Bluebird Kids” by Cynthia Burke
Bring your own bluebird or choose one from our flock
One bluebird work of art to represent each unique child in foster care.
There are currently more than 160 boys and girls in our community in foster care.
Parade Schedule for Friday, May 5
4:30 – Meet at the Freedom of Speech Wall on the Downtown Mall
5:00 – Bluebird parade up and down the mall
5:30 – Refreshments and conversation
The 2023 Bluebird Parade for Foster Children is sponsored by (the fabulous) Kiwanis Club of Charlottesville
The Kiwanis Club of Charlottesville is proud to support Piedmont CASA and The Foster Care and Adoption Awareness Coalition–FCAAC–in this project to raise awareness and to benefit the foster children of our community.
In May, Gearharts will bring out their popular Limited Edition Bluebird Chocolates — and MarieBette will be all aflutter with bluebirds on their cakes and breads. It is all in generous support of The Bluebird Parade and our kids in foster care.
Unfortunately, due to staff and time constraints, we are unable to have the Bluebird Art Auction or the online Parade of Bluebird Artwork this year. To see flocks from previous years, follow these links.
How The Bluebird Parade Began…
During National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, you’ll often see blue pinwheels displayed around town. They represent the importance of communities working together to strengthen our families and prevent child abuse and neglect. The following month is National Foster Care Month – so May blooms with blue ribbons signifying support for children in the foster care system.
The Bluebird Parade evolved from these important acknowledgements of the struggles of our vulnerable families and children. Each year in April, we ask the community to donate bluebird works of art, one to represent each child in foster care. And each year our community responds. Artists, families, children, and organizations create an amazing array of inspiring bluebirds. In May, all the artworks flock together for the Bluebird Parade for Children in Foster Care.
The Bluebird Parade used to take place on Charlottesville’s Historic Downtown Mall during the First Friday in May. But when the pandemic arrived in 2020, we moved the parade online – and expanded our bluebird flock to include music, videos, poetry, and prose. Taking the bluebirds online also meant we could cherish the artworks in a video that is posted and viewed year round.
Thank you to everyone who creates these wonderful bluebirds, and allows us to share them with the world. Most of all, thank you for helping to raise awareness for our kids in foster care. These children will help build the future of our community, but right now their future depends on us.
Meet the organizations behind the Bluebird Parade for Children in Foster Care
UMFS
UMFS is an unwavering champion for high-risk children and families, collaborating with communities to help them reach their full potential.
PIEDMONT CASA
Piedmont CASA is on a mission to champion and restore children and youth whose lives have been compromised by abuse and neglect.
PEOPLE PLACES
Fostering resilience in children and families so they can thrive.
GREAT EXPECTATIONS AT PVCC
We provide resources, tools, information and guidance to empower our participants in reaching their educational and career goals.
DEPAUL COMMUNITY RESOURCES
We work to ensure safety, promote permanency, facilitate healing, and support independence for the children and families we serve.
CHARLOTTESVILLE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
We work to protect children and adults from abuse and neglect and to promote and support the development of healthy families.
COMMUNITY ATTENTION FOSTER FAMILIES – CAFF
Our mission is to
provide short-term, long-term, and permanent homes for children of all ages while they
maintain connections to their families and community.
ALBEMARLE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
We provide services that promote self-sufficiency and support individual and family well-being.
The Bluebird Project is a creation of the Foster Care and Adoption Awareness Coalition, which is comprised of these organizations: Community Attention Foster Families (CAFF), the Departments of Social Services in Albemarle and Charlottesville, DePaul Community Resources, Great Expectations, PeoplePlaces, Piedmont CASA, and UMFS.