Throughout the United States today, more than 500,000 children are in foster care – in fact, by one estimate, there are now some 12 million alumni of the foster care system nationwide. With May being National Foster Care Month, Summit County Children Services has planned several activities to honor its nearly 450 foster parents and express the agency’s sincere appreciation for the love, care, hope, guidance, and nurturance they provide to the abused and neglected children of our community.

This year’s theme for Foster Care Month in Summit County is, “Be the Sunshine in a Child's Life, Foster a Child,” which was created by Charles & Shannon Woods of Uniontown. Promotional buttons with this theme have been distributed to the agency’s foster parents.

Training scheduled for March 6, 8 and 13 at Summit County Educational Service Center

The Summit County Educational Service Center is sponsoring a series of three programs related to child welfare during the month of March as an early kickoff to the 25th Annual Child & Family Awareness Month celebration coordinated by Summit County Children Services and numerous other community organizations in April.

The March in-service training programs on child welfare will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on March 6, 8 and 13 at the Educational Service Center, 420 Washington Ave., Cuyahoga Falls. This series of three, two-hour programs will provide teachers and other professionals throughout the county with a comprehensive overview of issues related to child welfare, including: recognizing and reporting child abuse; bullying; suicide prevention and substance abuse; and positive youth development.

LeBron James traveled more than 1,200 miles to his hometown of Akron Wednesday to read some Dr. Seuss.

The children at Mason Community Center huddled close to the colossal Miami Heat basketball player with rapt attention as he read “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!,” a giant version of the book perched behind him. Filled with fitting messages for students and the star athlete, the book outlines winning and losing, and how success will inevitably include highs and lows.

“These kids are my passion,” said James, who visited the school on East Exchange Street as part of his Wheels for Education program, in conjunction with the LeBron James Family Foundation. “That’s why I continue to give back.”

A-Minus brings positive entourage to ‘A New Way’ presentation

The students of Hope Academy were full of energy; it was the final day of classes at the Arlington Road charter school, and the children were raucous as they packed the gym, waiting for local hip-hop artist A-Minus to perform.

But this rap concert would be much different that many of them anticipated. It would be a showcase featuring motivational speakers, positive messages and even a segment where the students themselves displayed their talents through performance.

The mentoring showcase, A New Way, was created to tap into the interests of area youth through music.

There are a host of commonly misunderstood diseases within the minority community, like cardiovascular disease, prostate and breast cancer and diabetes, among others.

To help combat these afflictions while offering education for community members, LINKS Community and Family Services is hosting a FREE, two-day neighborhood health and wellness fair, April 1, from 1 to 7 p.m., and April 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Open Door AG Church, in the Fellowship Hall, at 745 Upson St., in Akron. Call (330) 794-5230 for info.

Local refugee youths are feeling extra fortunate – and warm. Dozens of recent immigrants and refugees are receiving brand new scarves, hats and mittens, thanks to dedicated volunteers in the Lucky Seniors program at Asian Services in Action.

While the city focuses on job growth and creation, a recent study asserts that attention should be given to passion and love of place instead.

Social offerings, aesthetics and openness are more critical to residents than basic services and economy, according to a three-year Gallup study of Akron in coordination with the Knight Foundation.

As northeast Ohioans experience yet another winter-driving season, safety is of the utmost importance. Drivers, especially those with small children, take every precaution to avoid accidents. But one area agency recognizes that not all drivers have the knowledge or the means to fully protect children, and it is working hard to change that. Summit County Safe Kids Coalition, one of 280 Safe Kids programs nationally, works with local agencies to protect children from preventable, unintentional injuries.

Do you know what your calling is?Every person on Earth has one – something unique, something only you were born to do.That’s your real job: to figure out what your calling is and begin to honor it.

The Pajama Program is a New York-based charity that was founded in 2001 by Genevieve Piturro.For Genevieve, realizing her passion took a little bit of soul searching.As a marketing executive and single woman in her 30s, she focused on climbing the corporate ladder.Then at age 38, she met her husband, and the pair started settling into a life together – but something was missing.