On any given day there are more than 400,000 children in foster care. Over the course of a year nearly 700,000 children spend at least some time in foster care. Approximately 254,000 will leave foster care this year, nearly 128,000 will be reunified with their families, another 52,000 will find new loving families through adoption and 36,000 will stay with a guardian or with their families through kinship care. But at the same time 28,000 youth will leave foster care because they became too old and they “aged” out of foster care and 1500 will run away.
Hope City Church partners with and supports a few agencies that offer a range of foster and adoption services. We would like to act as a conduit between families who have a heart for this kind of ministry and the networks that can best facilitate. If you’d like to get involved in the foster community via either donation, foster family support, or fostering a child please see the information below.
Ways to get involved
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Hope City Church Offering: Direct Support for Foster Youth
Hope is currently taking an offering to directly support foster youth in our community. We are helping build a fund for students who run into unexpected needs so that school liaisons can offer support. These funds could go towards soccer cleats for try outs, clothes for a job interview, or a poster board for the Science Fair, just to name a few. Please click on the blue plus icon in the bottom right hand corner of our website to directly donate.
Focus on the Family's Adoption and Orphan Care
The Adoption and Orphan Care Initiative is a nationwide effort that works collaboratively with different state, county, church, and adoption agencies to find forever families for children across the country. The two main components of their initiative are recruitment events and post-placement resources.
WRAP AROUND CARE/ SHORT TERM SUPPORT
McKinley Family Services
McKinley provides a full range of services including short term residential care, education and mental health for youth, families and the community, along with foster care & adoption. You can get involved in wrap around care by becoming a mentor or volunteering.
Olive Crest: Safe Families for Children
Safe Families for Children is a temporary placement program for children whose parents are going through a crisis or short-term struggle. The church community is the primary resource in the Safe Family model.
CASA of California
A CASA, court appointed special advocate, is a caring adult who spends time in a mentoring relationship with a child who is part of the foster care system. Learn how to provide support and advocacy by contacting the local CASA agency in your county: casala.org, casasb.org, casaoc.org
LONG TERM FOSTER CARE/ ADOPTION
California Kid's Belong
The California chapter of America's Kids Belong collaborates with business, faith and government entities to find foster and adoptive homes for kids. Their creative approach to highlighting kids’ stories and building up a community around families gives you multiple ways to get involved.
Serenity, Inc.
Serenity is a full-service foster and adoption network that will provide support at all steps of your process. You can get involved in respite and emergency placement, foster care, or a foster to adoption program.
If you’re already involved at some level, we want to know about it!
Please contact Kristina to detail how you’re involved with Foster Care so your church family can better support you going forward.