The Power of the Church in the Foster Care System

It is our vision to see the church step up to fulfill the call in James 1:27… Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.

Our Current Mission: Create a Bridge Between the Church and State to Place Kids in Families
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We as the Church are called to care for widows and orphans but in modern society kids whose parents aren’t providing for their safety and well-being are often “cared for” by the state foster care system. Most members of the body are simply unaware of the need kids have for great foster and adoptive families. Others are trying to help but they can only do so much. This leaves many kids waiting for a family. We can do better.

The church needs to step up to fill the gap and open our homes to kids waiting for a family. Blogger and speaker, Jason Johnson, says: “When it comes to defending the weak, protecting the vulnerable and seeking justice in the midst of chaos and brokenness, no entity is more exceptionally equipped and clearly mandated to take an active lead than the Church.”
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Fostering or Adopting a child makes a difference. If you are a member of the Church, prayerfully consider opening your home to kids in foster care. If you are a church community, how can your community make a difference in the lives of these kids?

Our Newest Mission: Provide Support for Families Through Safe Families for Kids

One of the reasons kids enter the foster care system is a lack of support for their family. A single mom working two jobs who can’t afford child care and has no one to take care of her child, may get reported for neglect. A dad gets injured and is in the hospital for several months before the family ends up living in a hotel room because mom’s income doesn’t cover the spiraling rent.

These heartbreaking stories often end with kids being taken from their biological families and placed in the foster care system. Our goal with Safe Families is to keep children from entering foster care by providing the support these families need. We are creating partnerships with churches to recruit host families, coaches, and friends. Host families care for kids while parents, referred to as a placing family, get back on their feet. Family coaches provide a link between the host family and the placing family, providing support, referrals and resources. Being a friend is as simple as offering practical support and an encouraging relationship with a host family or placing family.
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The bottom line: The community built by the church is uniquely designed to support and care for children and their families. Let’s join together and take care of the modern-day “orphans” in our midst. Let’s build a partnership for your church.