On today's show, Adrian and Ethan discuss children in foster care.

May is National Foster Care Month, a time to acknowledge the 463,000 American children and youth in foster care and the family members, foster parents, volunteers, mentors, child welfare professionals, and policymakers who help them find permanent homes and connections.

Children are in foster care because they or their families are going through a crisis. Often these children — from babies to teens — have been removed from their parents because they are unsafe, abused or neglected or their parents are unable to care for them.

More than 56,000 children in child welfare systems are living in group homes or institution placement. Advocates agree that children have more success when placed in family settings from the start.

More than 437,000 children are in foster care in the United States, 125,000 of whom have been permanently separated from their family of origin and are waiting for someone to step forward to adopt them — a 23 percent increase since 2012.

The nation’s foster care system has been especially overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic, with experts and state agencies saying more children are entering the system, and fewer families are willing to take them in for fear of spreading COVID-19.

We can always count on kids to see the issues and set out to make a difference.

With His Handmade Bowl, this 12-Year-old Raised $325,000 for Ukrainian Kids

After a young boy’s woodworking project went viral, he seized on his new internet following to raise money—not for himself—but for the children of Ukraine. The talented craftsman planned to sell his wooden bowls to fund a new mountain bike, but it turned into something more.

Gabriel, who lives in Cumbria in northern England—announced he would make one single bowl, Gabriel’s Bowl For Ukraine, to be given out in a lottery to anyone who makes a donation to Save The Children Ukraine.

Once again, the post went viral and a $6,260 appeal turned into $313,000 success, with nearly 15,000 people donating.

According to Save the Children Ukraine, they are distributing vital supplies such as food, water, and hygiene kits to children in Ukraine, as well as providing child protection services including targeted support for unaccompanied and separated children, psychosocial support, and access to legal services.