Riedel Foundation provides $4,200 grant to support foster families in Hannibal

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Riedel Foundation trustees recently awarded a $4,200 grant to Coyote Hill, an organization dedicated to supporting the foster care system.

Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries will use the money to support the community group that meets monthly in Hannibal. Activities include hosting a mom’s group, dad’s group, and age-appropriate programming for children newborn to 18. The meeting includes a meal and sometimes a field trip.

“Children in foster care also struggle with feeling safe enough to relax, eat a shared meal and enjoy meeting peers in similar situations,” Hannibal area coordinator Brittany McCaskey said in a press release. “Consistently offering community groups with the same volunteers allows these children a consistent environment they can relax in and engage with other children in foster care their age.”

Foster parents benefit by establishing connections with other foster families.

“Foster parents often feel isolated and overwhelmed when they initially begin caring for a child,” McCaskey said. “These community groups allow parents to share their experiences and learn from one another.”

Though the Riedel Foundation has supported foster care families through several local organizations over the years, this is the first time that Coyote Hill applied for a grant.

“Foster children come from such difficult situations,” Riedel Foundation administrator Sarah Deien said. “This grant supplies a couple hours of fun a month. It’s just a small thing we can do to show our support.”

According to Coyote Hill, as of March 2025, 221 children from Marion, Lewis, Monroe and Ralls counties are in foster care, with 141 licensed homes to care for these children. The number of licensed foster homes have decreased 10.05 percent in the last 12 months, according to the Missouri Department of Social Services. Due to the lack of local foster homes and the overall decline of available homes, foster families are taking many children into their homes or children are moving out of their county. Both those scenarios create more stress for the children and their foster parents.