Focus on Fostering: Kids' License Plates

A child service agency here in Maine is working on a new project to raise money for supporting kids' needs.  Services for kids, especially at-risk kids, is under fire*  This agency [Woodfords Family Services] is trying to promote the pre-sale of a special license plate that would raise funds children's services not funded by the state.  Maine already has special fund raising plates for conservation, college scholarships, and lobster promotion.  This proposed plate would help support after-school programming and recreational activities & summer camp experiences for kids in foster care and kinship placements. If you live in Maine and are interested in getting one of these special license plates click here for more details. They need to pre-sell 2000 to get the plates approved.

Massachusetts, Michigan, and Florida already have license plates supporting children's causes, and there may be more states who do.
Goodness knows that funding is desperately needed in state after state to provide better services and support for youth in care and in transition. Between politics and the economy it is getting desperate.

I just don't know if this is a useful solution or not. If it is I am all for it, but I don't always have much faith in the powers that end up administering funds. [In Maine's case it would be the Department of Education.] I would love to have something help support the plate's slogan of Maine.. a great place for kids!

Is anyone reading this from those states or another state with this program?  Let me know how well it has worked in your state.  What differences has it made?  Do you think it raises visibility for children's issues? How much money have you been able to raise?  How long did it take you?  Would you do it again?  I would love to hear from some of you!
Share your experience?


*You may have heard on the news some of the changes [!] our new governor is making.  He won in a very close election with the independent candidate almost catching up to him.  I know many Democrats who stayed loyal to their candidate [even when victory was clearly out of reach] who are kicking themselves all around the block now.  He has certainly gotten Maine some national publicity, but not the kind this and many other Mainers want!


Image credits:  orlandosentinel.com, woodfords.org, dmv.com