KINSHIP FAMILY & YOUTH SERVICES LAUNCHES FUND-RAISING PARTNERSHIP WITH L.J. KENNEDY TRUCKING COMPANY TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF AT-RISK FOSTER CHILDREN

HORNELL, NY & KEARNY, NJ—(PR NEWSWIRE) ---June 9, 2005

Kinship Family & Youth Services, one of New York’s leading non-profit foster-care agencies has launched its first ever public-private, faith-based initiative with the L.J. Kennedy Trucking Company. The partnership will strive to raise funds to increase the national awareness of the plight of at-risk foster-children, as well as the heroic efforts of foster-parents.

The initiative will involve a public outreach campaign to raise public consciousness of the crisis in foster-care today, with a special emphasis on the Southern Tier region of Western New York State.

“We are committed to making a difference in the communities our drivers live in”, said Fred Kennedy, President, of L.J. Kennedy Trucking. “Through our partnership with Woodhull Raceway, and our dedicated core of driver-volunteers, we will work diligently to raise funds so that the Kinship Agency can serve an increasingly large number of at-risk children through their foster-family program”.

The Kinship Agency mission is to respectfully strengthen and enrich the quality of life for individuals, families and children through services that focus on their social, physical, spiritual, mental and intellectual growth and development. Kinship Family & Youth Services is licensed by the Office of Children & Family Services (OCFS), and has a thirty year history of providing OCFS sanctioned therapeutic foster care services.

“We have a mission to strengthen and preserve family life for each of its members. We view foster-care not as an end product of a failed family, but as a temporary resource that can and should be used to assure the safety and well-being of the child, family and community, but only until the essential resources and services can be instituted that will assist the family to meet the permanency needs of their child”, says Joe Weider, Executive Director of Kinship.

Kinship Therapeutic Foster Homes specialize in the care of children with emotional and behavioral health care needs. Many of these children have gone on to college and successful business careers, and have become leaders in their communities. A number of the children served by Kinship are adopted by their foster parents, and there are many more needing the special care and support that only a loving and supportive family can provide. “Our vision, says Joe Weider, is to strive to build a community where a sense of fundamental love, compassion and respect for family life binds all people in relationships that honor the dignity and worth of every human person”.

Founded in 1971, Kinship is headquartered in Hornell, NY, and is a division of Catholic Charities of Rochester.

L.J. Kennedy Trucking is one of America’s premier flatbed trucking haulers.

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