BBQ fundraiser benefits foster children in Forsyth County

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By Isabel Hughes
IHughes@forsythnews.com

An annual barbecue and music event that supports foster children in Forsyth County is back for its fourth year of food, music and fun.

Blues & Q, which will be held Saturday at the Kinsey Family Farm in north Forsyth, serves as a fundraiser to help attract local families who could potentially provide homes for foster children.

“Each year, we ask the [Division of Family and Children Services] what their needs are and what can we do to help,” said Niki Colella, executive director of the Forsyth County Community Connection, which sponsors the event. “The first year, the majority of funds went to do home studies for foster families, which cost about $750. The second year, the money went to more home studies and impact classes to make sure weren’t losing families.

“The third year, we used it for a media campaign; we had 4 billboards and two still up, and this year it’ll probably be combination of media campaigns and paying foster families to get out and raise awareness and any other way to help with recruitment.”

A nonprofit associated with the Georgia Family Connection Partnership and the Hands on Network, Community Connection’s mission is to “connect the needs of vulnerable children and families to agencies and volunteers that can create healthy pathways so that every family is healthy, engaged and self-sufficient.”

Colella said various community entities co-sponsor the event, including Jim N’ Nick’s Bar-B-Q and the Kinsey Family Farm.

“Blues & Q is a fun evening of barbecue, bourbon, and great music,” she said. “But most important, it makes a difference in the lives of children. Many Forsyth County foster children must be located in other areas of the state because of the lack of foster homes in their own county.

“We invite and encourage our neighbors to join us at Blues & Q. They will have an enjoyable evening and their participation will have a positive and life-changing impact on Forsyth County children.”

The event will feature music by a Cumming band, the Past Tells, a bourbon bar, an auction and a raffle.

The event begins at 6:30 p.m. on April 22 and single admission tickets cost $80, with couples admission tickets priced at $140. Tickets include dinner, two drinks, a gift bag and raffle ticket, and can be purchased at bluesandq.com.

For more information, Colella can be reached at (706) 844-6138 or niki@connectforsyth.org.

Read the story on forsythnews.com.