What You Can Do to Help Kids in Foster Care

May is National Foster Care Month.

Nearly 400,000 children in the United States are in foster care, which means they’ve been separated from their families – in some cases, permanently – and need a safe, healthy place to live.

Unless you’ve lived as a foster kid like I did, or know a family who is involved in foster care, you’re probably not aware of how difficult these circumstances can be for children. We in the Christian community have a wonderful opportunity to come alongside these children and help them thrive.

How?

One way is to explore Focus on the Family’s Wait No More program, which encourages and equips families like yours to get involved.

A simple, yet practical, idea is to purchase a special suitcase through Focus on the Family. When children are removed from their home and placed in foster care, the transition happens quickly. As a result, the child’s meager belongings often end up in a trash bag they’re then forced to carry from one place to another. Your gift of $100 provides a suitcase, a teddy bear, an age-appropriate Bible, and a sense of dignity and hope for the future.

So many Christian people have questions about getting involved in foster care that I’ve asked Julie Bagamary to join me on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly to share her story and answer common questions.

After Hurricane Katrina, Julie and her husband, Randy, wondered how they could help their community. Somewhere in their conversation, Randy mentioned adoption. Julie wasn’t enthusiastic initially; they had already raised four children of their own. She also considered herself an “average mom,” not an expert. But months later, God spoke to her heart. For 12 years, she and Randy opened their home and hearts to numerous children in need.

Our conversation covers topics such as:

Getting involved in foster care.
Common challenges of foster parenting.
Benefits of respite care.
Recommendations for foster parents who feel overwhelmed

Join me for our full discussion on your local radio station, online, on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, via Google Podcasts, or listen on our free phone app.

Before I close, I’d like to extend an invitation for you to become a special partner with us through our monthly “Friends of Focus on the Family” program. When you do, I’ll send you a copy of Julie Bagamary’s book Foster Parenting Matters: Creating a Home for Hope and Healing as a way of saying thank you for touching others with the love of Christ. You’ll also receive member-exclusive benefits. To make your pledge, or for more information, click here or call 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).