To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE


SHARE THIS ARTICLE Printer friendly version of this page

As Need for Foster Parents Persists, Coalition Finds People of Faith Accepting the Call

Josh Shepherd : Feb 7, 2018  Stream.org

Advocates for America's foster children recently gathered in Washington DC, where one coalition leader revealed that faith is a critical motivation for most foster parents.

[Stream.org] On Wednesday, leaders of the CHAMPS Initiative came together in Washington, DC, to advance strategies for improving foster care. Surprising insights came to light as diverse advocates from more than a dozen states convened. (Photo: via Adoption Choices Arizona)

CHAMPS, a unique coalition of child welfare advocates, policymakers and non-profit groups, stands for "Children Need Amazing Parents." The national effort seeks to enable better outcomes for foster children by compiling and sharing best practices to support foster parents.

"Children do best in stable, loving families," said Ron Haskins of The Brookings Institution. "Foster parents are the key. What's so exciting about CHAMPS is its potential to produce transformational change for children, their parents and the child welfare system itself." Haskins has worked with both the Bush and Obama administrations. A leading think tank, Brookings hosted the CHAMPS event.

Leaders such as Sarah Chiles of New York showed how these ideas play out in their states. "We have great opportunities and challenges," she said. "In New York, 22 percent of kids live in poverty." Chiles champions foster children through the Redlich Horwitz Foundation.

"To recruit, support and retain high-quality foster parents is the most important intervention in our foster care system," she noted.

Foster Parents Show Faith in Action
"Because of the beliefs we hold dear, people of faith have a natural inclination to taking care of the vulnerable." -Jason Weber

Official figures show the U.S. foster care population continues to grow. In November, the Administration for Children and Families announced over 400,000 children are currently in foster care. This represents a 10 percent increase just since 2012. More than 100,000 of these kids are waiting to be adopted.

CHAMPS is not ignoring the greatest source of foster parents—America's faith communities. The coalition includes the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) as a core part of their multi-pronged strategy to help foster kids.

"The Annie E. Casey Foundation has cited that 65 percent of foster parents identify as having a faith affiliation," says Jason Weber. He serves as director of CAFO's foster care initiatives. "Because of the beliefs we hold dear, people of faith have a natural inclination to taking care of the vulnerable. That's always been a part of Christian tradition and carries over into this area."

"Mighty Bands of Followers of Jesus"
Following his event remarks, Weber spoke in an interview with The Stream. Since 2004, CAFO has united hundreds of faith-based groups who care for orphans and vulnerable children. The Nashville-based alliance works across all Christian traditions. Partner groups support a full range of adoption and foster care options.

"I'm watching small, mighty bands of followers of Jesus in various communities throughout the country, asking: What can our churches do together?" says Weber. "They're willing to look past some doctrinal or philosophical differences because the kids in our community are important. We have a divine calling to work together."

He gives a particular example of united Christian action. "Just 10 years ago, an organization of a group of churches rose up, called TheCall," begins Weber. "Today, fifty percent of the certified foster families in the state of Arkansas come from churches mobilized by this organization."

"That kind of change and impact can happen when followers of Christ work together to make a difference for kids"...

Continue reading here.







SHARE THIS ARTICLE Printer friendly version of this page

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Other Recent Articles from Breaking Christian News

Israel Strikes Iran, Targeting Nuclear Facilities

Signs & Wonders in Egypt: Imam Meets Jesus in Dream, Bleeding Woman Is Healed Just Like Luke 8

Disney World Transgender Bathroom Uproar Sparks Legal Threats

Soros Gives Over $3 Million to Try to Flip Texas for Democrats

FBI: Huge Coordinated Effort Culminates with the Rescue of 109 Children and Arrest of 244 Child Exploitation Offenders

House Passes Rescission of $1.1B Taxpayer Funding of PBS, NPR – Despite 4 GOP Defectors

Appeals Court Humiliates Newsom, Restores Trump's Control of National Guard

DECLASSIFIED: Iran Was About to Get the Bomb

President Trump Speaks Out About Israeli Air Strikes on Iran

Michael Tait Confesses to Allegations of Sexual Misconduct and Drug Abuse

New Hampshire Passes Universal School Choice, Parental Bill of Rights

European Leaders Take a Conservative Stand

Trump Secures a Legal Win as Federal Appeals Court Rules Tariffs Stay, For Now

RFK Jr. Appoints Several Prominent Critics of COVID-19 Vaccines to Key Committee after Firing Entire Advisory Panel

What You Need to Know About Soros and the Anti-ICE LA Riots

Tale of 2 Cities: Protests and Policies in LA and Dallas Yield Starkly Different Outcomes

Prayer Alert: '1 Survivor' in Air India Crash With More Than 240 Aboard

Prayer Alert: Hamas Murders GHF Aid Workers as US Embassies Begin Evacuating Due to Iran Threats

Christian Baker, Terrorized by Disturbing Threats, Legal Chaos over Cake Refusal, Won't Back Down

Trump's Presidential Salute to the US Army Comes on Its 250th Anniversary, and on Flag Day



Search the Articles Archives

Keyword:  
Author:  
Words Posted On:  
Day Month Year



BCN Plus

Follow BCN on Twitter
Are You Praying for Our Government Leaders?
BCN Staff

Steve Shultz
Steve Shultz, Managing Editor
Founder and Owner


Aimee Herd
Aimee Herd, Editor


BCN Plus
Are You Praying for President Trump?
 
 

All articles on this site and emails from BCN are copyrighted property of Breaking Christian News. Permission is given to link to, or share a BCN story if proper attribution is given to both the original writer and summarizer of the story. Breaking Christian News 2005-2019. All Rights Reserved.


Breaking Christian News is a division of Elijah List Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved


Disclaimer: Articles and links, as well as the source articles linked to; do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Breaking Christian News.

editor@breakingchristiannews.com