Cayuga Centers
Expanding the Foster Parent Pipeline Through Community Outreach & Engagement
Recruitment Marketing · Community Outreach · Partnership Development
About
Cayuga Centers · Cayuga Centers
Founded in 1852, Cayuga Centers is a nationally accredited nonprofit dedicated to helping children and families through foster care, family preservation, behavioral health, developmental disability services, and services for unaccompanied children. Today, the organization serves 17,000+ children and families annually across all 50 states, with foster care and family support programs spanning multiple states. Working in partnership with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) and the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), the organization recruits, certifies, and supports foster families for children in traditional foster care and unaccompanied refugee and migrant youth.
The Brief
Served as Assistant Director of Foster Home Recruitment & Licensing, leading recruitment marketing, community outreach, and partnership initiatives to expand the foster parent pipeline. Collaborated with community organizations, government agencies, referral partners, and local events to educate prospective foster families, strengthen recruitment efforts, and support licensing and onboarding for both foster care and unaccompanied children programs.
The Work
- Planned and executed multi-agency recruitment marketing campaigns across New York City to increase awareness and engagement among prospective foster families
- Strengthened community outreach through partnerships, events, and public engagement initiatives that expanded the foster parent pipeline
- Improved recruitment operations by leading the implementation of Netsmart, streamlining workflows, and reducing administrative effort
- Developed recruitment dashboards and KPIs to monitor outreach performance, program efficiency, and executive decision-making
- Guided prospective foster families through recruitment, licensing, and onboarding while collaborating with internal teams to meet program needs
Receipts
200+
community members reached through foster parent recruitment campaigns
60%
improvement in recruitment workflow efficiency
40%
reduction in reporting time through process optimization
In Their Words
“It was deeply fulfilling to dedicate ourselves to helping children and families through Foster Care Family and Children Services. We truly made a tangible difference — ensuring foster families and children received the essential support and resources they required to thrive.”
Office of Children and Family Services
Program Partner
The Spread
The Room
Alongside:New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) · Community Organizations · Faith-Based Partners · Referral Networks · Foster Families
Tools:Microsoft Office | Google Workspace | Netsmart | OCFS Connections Portal | Eventbrite | Canva
Field Notes
This role changed the way I think about marketing. The goal wasn't generating leads—it was earning trust. Every outreach event, partnership, and conversation had the potential to help a child find a safe, supportive home, reminding me that the most meaningful marketing creates human impact, not just business outcomes.