Become a Foster Parent
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Bringing Gospel Hope to Vulnerable Children through Foster Care.
Families Across America Need Hope
Previous trauma, financial instability, missing support systems, and a lack of healthy parenting skills create a vulnerable environment for families. In these vulnerable circumstances, a simple problem can compound into a debilitating situation. As a result, children may suffer neglect or abuse with some eventually placed in state custody.
437,000
Children in Foster Care
544
Days Spent in Foster Care
on Average Per Child
117,000
Children Waiting for
Adoption
7
Median Age of Children in
the Foster Care System
The Need for Family Restoration
Harbor Families, Foster Care, Families Count™, and Heritage Builders are all Lifeline ministries that equip families and the local church to provide support and education to families who have experienced foster care or are at risk of separation.
Through these supportive relationships, parents and children hear about the hope of Christ as they work toward the ultimate goal of family reunification. God created and loves families. He wants them to be together. That’s why we champion reunification.
Ways to Get Involved
From volunteering to mentoring others to caring for a child in your home.
Families Count™
As financial pitfalls, drugs, alcohol, stress, depression, and other barriers invade a family’s life, many parents find themselves at-risk of being separated, or already separated, from their children.
Through Families Count, local churches have a platform to minister to and walk with broken families to help them be restored and preserved.
State-Approved Court-Mandated Parent Education Program
All families seeking restoration must participate in a parenting class, and Families Count qualifies as such.
For the Family
Children are impacted by the growth and healing they see in their parents, and are often also able to attend church activities while their parents are in class.
For the Church
Families Count equips church members to minister to at-risk families, and provides a platform to reach them.
Heritage Builders
Supporting youth as they transition from foster care to independence.
50-80% of children trafficked have a History in Foster Care
Youth who age out of foster care are prime targets of sex and labor traffickers.
Youth in Foster Care Suffer from PTSD
PTSD is experienced by 25% of children living in foster care, which is two times the rate of U.S. War Veterans.
23,000 Older Children Age Out of the System Each Year
Without intervention, youth leave foster care with little or no adult support, limited knowledge of life skills, and minimal resources. These factors paint a despairing future outlook.
Children enter foster care through no fault of their own. For many of these children, circumstances do not change, and they age out of the foster care system without a family or a support system. The multiple layers of trauma they endure coupled with the challenge of overcoming the barriers to self-sufficiency create a troublesome place from which to launch into adulthood. Without support, many become homeless, imprisoned, pregnant, or trafficked.
Heritage Builders was designed for people of the local church, like you and me, who desire to help care for these teens by partnering with them to pursue a purpose-filled pathway. We are ready to equip you to step into their lives as advocates, life-readiness trainers, and resource connectors. Please click below for more details and to get involved.
Harbor Families
Little support exists for families at risk of falling apart
If a family is not currently abusing or neglecting their children, there is not a lot of support and oversight from the government to be an aid to families who are on the brink of falling apart.
Many families are struggling and suffering in isolation
Many families are struggling and suffering in isolation just waiting for their family to be broken apart in the middle of a hard situation.
Many families are at risk of potential abuse and neglect
If a crisis situation becomes too overwhelming for an individual or family, it is possible that abuse and neglect of children could become an issue. We do not have to let these families suffer alone.
Many families experiencing a crisis are at risk of having their children placed into state foster care if they do not receive adequate support to assist them through difficult times. If a family is under this type of chronic stress, there is minimal aid from the government which further pushes them to the brink of falling apart.
Harbor Families™ is a discipleship ministry that focuses on keeping families intact while equipping and strengthening those we serve. Facing crisis, poverty, social isolation, and a lack of support for some families sets the stage for a small difficulty to become debilitating. These circumstances, if left without intervention, can also lead to a higher risk of children being abused or neglected.
