Thomas MacMillan Photo
Fifteen months ago, Dale Little took in a four-week-old baby. On Thursday, she carried little Camal Rice up to a podium in City Hall as she was recognized for her dedication as a foster parent.
Little (at left in photo) was one of four families and individuals who were cited for there foster parenting during the fifth annual Delta Day at City Hall. The event was organized by the sisters of the New Haven Alumnae chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
Each year since 2006, the public service organization has taken an afternoon at City Hall to highlight a different aspect of the group’s mission. For 2011, the focus was on foster care and adoption.
Karen DuBois-Walton, the president of the New Haven chapter, called the annual Delta Day a chance to “bring government alive for people.” It brings people into contact with their elected officials and makes local government more tangible, she said.
Delta Sigma Theta has a history of nearly 100 years of service in the country, and 50 years in New Haven, DuBois-Walton said.
As part of this year’s event, Delta worked with the state Department of Children and Families and Boys and Girls Villages to select families who have been committed and outstanding foster parents to some of the 4,000 kids in foster care in the state.
Little, who lives in Westville, was one of the chosen. She has been a foster parent since 2003. This year, she was chosen to participate in a pilot program in which she acts as a parent for children ages 0 to 3, and also works with their birth parents to “strengthen and model positive parenting skills.”
The other foster parents honored at the ceremony were Nancy Acosta-Shields and Joseph A. Sheilds, Carmen and Frederick Ortiz, and Crystal Beard-Morton and Timothy Morton.
DuBois-Walton also announced the beginning of a new “mini-grant” program called the Delta Community Response Fund. The awards of up to $250 will fund youth-oriented projects in greater New Haven and Bridgeport that foster economic or educational development, physical and mental health, or political or international awareness.
After the ceremony, salads and strawberries were served in the atrium of City Hall.
Little and the other foster parents were later honored a second time at Thursday evening’s meeting of the Board of Aldermen.
Alderwoman Gina Calder hugged Little.