06/05/2026
Fathers matter, and FatherFest is an opportunity to celebrate the important role fathers and father figures play in the lives of children and families throughout our community.
Join us for the 4th Annual FatherFest!
Hosted by San Joaquin County Children’s Services, Main Street Youth & Family Services, First 5 San Joaquin, San Joaquin County Probation Department, and the Dear Dads Coalition, this free community event brings families together for a day of fun, connection, and celebration.
📅 Saturday, June 13, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
📍 Victory Park, Stockton
This free family event will feature games, activities, live entertainment, community resources, and opportunities for dads and children to spend quality time together while connecting with other families and community partners.
FatherFest also kicks off Father Appreciation Week, June 14-20, a time to recognize and thank the fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, mentors, and father figures who make a lasting difference in the lives of children every day.
We are grateful for the many community partners who support this event and for the sponsorship support provided by Dignity Health and San Joaquin County Office of the District Attorney.
We hope to see you there!
For more information and father-focused resources, visit www.sanjoaquinfathers.org.
05/02/2026
May often feels like a whirlwind, busy schedules, end-of-school-year energy, and a lot competing for our attention, but it is also National Foster Care Month, a time to bring attention to the children and families who rely on our support, advocacy, and involvement.
For many, the journey into foster care begins by recognizing a need and choosing to step forward. For Laura, a pediatric nurse, that moment came through her work with medically fragile children. She saw firsthand the critical need for resource families who could provide specialized care and made the decision to become part of the solution. Her experience reflects what we continue to see today, a growing need for families willing to support youth with complex medical needs.
Across the country, more than 400,000 children are in foster care. Right here in our community, there is a continued and critical need for resource families, especially those willing to open their homes to medically fragile children who require additional care, attention, and support, as well as those willing to care for sibling groups and older youth.
This month, we encourage you to take time to learn more about foster care, listen to the voices and experiences of those directly impacted, and consider how you can be part of the support system that every child deserves.
If you have ever thought about becoming a resource parent, especially for medically fragile youth, now is the time to learn more. Your willingness to step forward can make a lasting difference.
For more information about becoming a foster/resource family, please call (209) 465-KIDS(5437) or visit our website at sjcrfa.org.
04/23/2026
Today, we honor the incredible team behind the scenes at the Human Services Agency. Our administrative professionals are the backbone of our organization, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and efficiently.
In work that can be fast paced and complex, our administrative professionals are the steady force behind it all. They are often the first point of contact for families, the support our staff rely on every day, and the ones making sure the details are handled so services can move forward.
Their role is critical to how we show up for children and families.
Today, we were able to come together over lunch to show our appreciation and acknowledge the impact they make across our organization.
Your attention to detail, your patience, your problem solving, and your steady support do not go unnoticed. You help carry the weight of this work in ways that matter every single day.
We appreciate you, we value you, and we are grateful for all that you do.
04/09/2026
San Joaquin County Children’s Services is proud to share meaningful recognitions that highlight the heart of our work and the strength of our community partnerships.
At the 26th Annual Child Abuse Prevention Symposium held on April 8, 2026, Child Abuse Prevention Council was honored with Agency Program of the Year for their work on the Bringing Families Home (BFH) Program. We also celebrate Justian O’Ryan, who was recognized as Service Employee of the Year and presented on the Dear Dads Coalition, an initiative advancing father engagement through partnership, training, and community events such as FatherFest and the Dear Dads Academy.
Bringing Families Home, funded through the California Department of Social Services, was launched in San Joaquin County by Children’s Services in May 2023. The program addresses one of the biggest barriers families face, housing instability. Through housing support, case management, and connections to community resources, BFH helps prevent children from entering foster care and supports faster, safer reunification when families have been separated. This work creates stability and gives families the opportunity to remain safely together.
We are proud to recognize Child Abuse Prevention Council as the current vendor, leading the program since July 2025. Their commitment to families and partnership with our agency continues to support the ongoing success of this program.
We also recognize Mary Magdalene Community Services, who served as the original vendor at the program’s launch in 2023 and helped build the strong foundation that made this success possible.
This recognition reflects the collective effort of our social workers, community partners, and the families we serve. It represents the daily commitment to show up, work through challenges, and stay focused on keeping families safe, stable, and together, even in the most difficult moments. Most importantly, it reflects the strength and resilience of families who continue to push forward toward stability and reunification.
We are honored to continue this work together.
04/01/2026
As National Social Work Month comes to a close, Children’s Services would like to recognize and celebrate the incredible work of our social workers at San Joaquin County Human Services Agency.
The work you do is not easy, and it is not always understood or appreciated, but it is deeply meaningful. Every day, you show up for children and families during some of their most vulnerable moments, making thoughtful decisions with care, compassion, and a commitment to safety and support.
Throughout the month, our Children’s Services management team, alongside our amazing Office Assistants, had the privilege of celebrating you. From coordinating events to hosting a special appreciation lunch, these efforts were a small but meaningful way to recognize the vital role you play in our community.
To our social workers: thank you for your dedication, your strength, and the care you bring into every interaction. You are the heart of Children’s Services, and our community is stronger because of you.
12/31/2025
🌟🧶 Children’s Services extends our deepest gratitude to the Manteca Senior Center Crochet and Knitting Group for their extraordinary generosity. Each handmade blanket is more than warmth, it is comfort, care, and a reminder to our youth that they are seen and valued.
With an incredible 29 years of dedication, Donna represents the heart of this group, a legacy of compassion stitched into every piece they create. We are truly honored to share in their unwavering commitment to supporting youth in need.
Inspired by this kindness, the All Tangled Up Crochet Club stepped forward to create blankets specifically for our older foster youth, ensuring they also feel the same sense of warmth, dignity, and belonging.
Every stitch is a gesture of comfort and security, thoughtfully crafted to bring smiles to the faces of our foster youth. A heartfelt thank you to both groups for using their talents to shower our foster youth with love and care.
Manteca Senior Center Crochet and Knitting group members:
🧶52 blankets
Irene Alfaro - 6 years
Leslie Baxley - 6 years
Janet Buckman - 24 years
Donna Crovella - 29 years
Tressie Fulton - 13 years
Beverly Grant - 15 years
Jetta Hawk - 8 years
Sheila Regan - 5 years
Doreen Xuereb - 9 years
All Tangled Up Crochet Club:
🧶32 crocheted blankets and 6 new suitcases - All Members 9 years
Carol Jorritsma
Jennifer Snarr
Amber Minana
Belinda Jorritsma Rogers
Anita Jorritsma
12/25/2025
During the holiday season, we often pause to reflect on what truly matters. At Children’s Services, that reflection always comes back to people, the children and youth we serve, the resource parents who open their homes, the community partners who walk alongside families, and the staff who carry this work forward every day. We want to take this moment to sincerely thank each of you for making this work possible.
We never want to lose sight of what truly matters. At its heart, this work is about families navigating difficult moments, children and youth showing remarkable resilience, and the hope that begins to grow when someone feels seen, supported, and not alone.
To our resource parents, thank you for opening your homes and your hearts and for offering stability when it is needed most. To our staff, thank you for carrying this work with deep care for the people behind every case. Your dedication, often unseen, helps families feel supported during some of their most difficult moments.
Throughout the year, and especially during the holiday season, we witness people choose to show up for foster youth with generosity. Community members who give, organizations that step forward, and staff throughout our organization who help collect, sort, and deliver donations all play an important role. Often without recognition, these acts create moments of joy and belonging for foster youth.
We are truly grateful to everyone who gave their time and resources this holiday season. As we look ahead to the new year, we carry that generosity with us and remain committed to continuing this work alongside our community, to serve our youth and families.
Warm holiday wishes,
San Joaquin County Children’s Services
11/27/2025
Happy Thanksgiving from Children’s Services!
Today, we simply want to say thank you.
November is National Adoption Month, which makes this time of year especially meaningful at Children’s Services. Adoption is not just about papers and courtrooms, it is about people. It is about courage. It is about the choice to love, again and again, even when it is not easy.
We are deeply grateful for our social workers, resource families, adoptive families, relatives, and birth parents who continue to show strength, resilience, and care for their children, even during challenging times. Your efforts, love, and commitment do not go unnoticed.
We also extend our sincere thanks to the many teams and partners who support this work each day, including clerical and fiscal staff, supervisors, managers, eligibility workers, and our community partners. Every role matters, and together you make this work possible.
Because of your compassion, dedication, and perseverance, children and families in our community experience safety, support, and opportunities for a better tomorrow.
From all of us at Children’s Services, we extend our warmest wishes this Thanksgiving. Thank you for the difference you make, today and every day.
06/15/2025
Fatherhood takes many forms, and on this special day, we honor the countless ways that love, care, and presence shape the lives of children.
We celebrate the dads, stepdads, grandfathers, uncles, mentors, resource parents, and kinship caregivers who show up with love, strength, and unwavering support. We also recognize the fathers among our own staff and community partners, whose compassion and leadership make a meaningful difference every day.
Whether you are a father by birth, through foster care, or through the bonds you’ve chosen to form, your role is vital. The time, care, and stability you offer help lay the foundation for safe, connected, and hopeful futures for children.
We see your dedication. We honor your contributions. And we thank you for walking beside children and families when it matters most.
From all of us at San Joaquin County Children’s Services—Happy Father’s Day!
05/30/2025
Join us for FatherFest 2025!
A FREE event for dads and families—happening Saturday, June 7th at 10 a.m. in Stockton! Enjoy free activities, family resources, music, and so much more! Visit SanJoaquinFathers.org for tips and resources to help you be the best dad you can be.
¡Ven a la Fiesta del Padre 2025!
Un evento GRATUITO para los papás y todas las familias, el sábado 7 de junio a las 10 a.m. en Stockton. ¡Habrá actividades gratis, recursos familiares, música y mucho más! Visita SanJoaquinPadres.org para encontrar consejos y recursos para ser el mejor padre posible.
12/31/2025
12/25/2025
11/27/2025
06/15/2025
05/30/2025