Broadway Stars Show Support For Foster Care Hotline In YouTube Video
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Broadway has gone viral with a new YouTube video in support of New York City's Foster Care Hotline.
The video launched Saturday urges children, parents, relatives, and social work professionals who have encountered problems with the foster care system to call the hotline (646-883-4663) or fill out an online survey.
"The hotline and survey provide an opportunity for the Public Advocate's office to collect personal experiences and humanize the obstacles preventing New York City's foster children from finding permanent homes," the Public Advocate's office said.
Vanessa Williams, Rosie Perez, Tony-award winning actress Laura Benanti, and Sherri Saum, star of ABC Family's hit show "The Fosters," are featured in the video along with Public Advocate Letitia James.
James launched the hotline on April 20 in an effort to root out mismanagement within the foster care system.
According to the Public Advocate's office, there were on average 11,728 children on any given day in New York City foster care last year. Of the children adopted last year, the median stay in foster care was 4.5 years -- more than twice the federally mandated guideline for permanent placement.