Non-Profits, Individuals, Churches, and Social Services working together to provide A Family for Every Child
What a Volunteer Community Looks Like
County Coordinator
The County Coordinator is the primary contact person within the county for Foster Family Connect. The successful coordinator will have a close relationship with foster parents, social services departments, churches, and volunteer organizations and understand the foster system's workings. They must be self-starters who can implement the programs they develop within their county. Tasks include support group facilitation, volunteer training, and communications of Foster Family Connect events, coordinating foster kids’ camps or adult retreats. Most of all, they will have a God-given desire/calling to serve foster families. If you are interested in leading the Foster Family Connect effort in your county, please email Foster Family Connect at info@fosterfamilyconnect.org.
Sponsoring Church
A Sponsoring Church will have a desire to fulfill the mandate Christ gives the Church in James 1:27-to care for and "visit widows and orphans in their affliction," in John 14:18- "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you," and in Hosea 14:3d-"In you the orphan finds mercy." The church body will grow into Christlikeness as they serve foster families within or outside the church membership. The expectation for the church is for the leadership to support this new ministry and allow the appointment of a Church Advocate who will train the volunteers within the church to serve. If you are interested in being a Sponsoring Church in your county, please email Foster Family Connect at info@fosterfamilyconnect.org.
Sponsoring Civic Organization
Civic organizations also have an abundance of volunteers. Foster Family Connect understands that some foster families may prefer to work with organizations with whom they already have a relationship, or they may not be ready for a church experience. Foster Family Connect understands this and will do everything possible to ensure that these foster families do not fall between the cracks. So, we actively search for civic organizations that will organize volunteers to serve these families. If you are interested in your civic organization joining Foster Family Connect in helping foster families in your county, please email Foster Family Connect at info@fosterfamilyconnect.org.
Advocate
The Advocate is highly organized and will be in weekly communication with the foster family to establish a list of needs and then work to fulfill the requirements from the list of their volunteers. The Advocate allows the foster family to have one point of communication rather than multiple volunteers calling to ask what tasks need to be accomplished. Weekly duties to assist the foster family may include providing a meal, transportation to clinic appointments, babysitting (done with the foster parent's approval and is usually a team of two people), etc. The Advocate will work closely with the County Coordinator to exchange service ideas, identify new foster parents in the county, and report any issues they may encounter. If you are interested in leading the Foster Family Connect effort in your church or organization, please email Foster Family Connect at info@fosterfamilyconnect.org.
Volunteer
Volunteers work in close communication with the Advocate to supply the needs requested by the foster family. The volunteer is the heart of the Foster Family Connect organization and serves the foster family, willingly sacrificing their time and skills to help. Serving is where the natural blessings are realized. The Foster Family Connect organization supports and ensures that the volunteers have all the tools they need to be effective in their service. If you are interested in being a Foster Family Connect volunteer in your church or organization, please email Foster Family Connect at info@fosterfamilyconnect.org.