Churches
YOUR CHURCH CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
The foster and adoptive families in your congregation and in your neighborhood need your prayers, your encouragement, your help. Commit to wrapping around them and helping to lighten the load they carry. Read on to find out how we can guide and support you!
CHECK IN WITH YOUR FOSTER & ADOPTIVE FAMILIES
Start by checking in with the foster families in your congregation. Meet any immediate needs that they might have. Ask for their suggestions and their involvement as you move forward in supporting them and other foster families.
BECOME TRAUMA AWARE
Encourage your children’s ministry staff and volunteers to complete trauma awareness training. Make trauma awareness training a part of the regular rhythm of serving in children and youth ministries. Invite our staff to provide in-person training or start with the free one-hour course at Belong University.
OFFER ONGOING SUPPORT
Provide ongoing support to foster families in the community. Hold a quarterly foster family event or foster parent night out. Join our WRAP team ministry for foster families. Host bimonthly foster parent support groups. Work with us to build another type of ongoing support ministry … home repairs for foster families, free oil changes for foster families, a foster family closet for clothing and supplies, etc.
FOSTER PARENTS NIGHTS OUT
A Foster Parents Night Out is an opportunity for churches to love their neighbors by providing a night out to foster families. Your background-checked volunteers enjoy the satisfaction of serving, the families receive much-needed respite and encouragement, and the kids experience fun activities and a sense of belonging. FPNOs generally last 3-4 hours. Most churches provide a meal for the children in attendance. Equipped & Encouraged has a goal to have one FPNO each month, rotating between several churches. A PDF Foster Parent Night Out Guide is available to provide all the information and suggestions your church needs to make your FPNO a success!
WRAP MINISTRY
WRAP stands for WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT, RESPITE CARE, ACTS OF SERVICE, and PRAYER. WRAP Teams are made up of 10-12 people (or couples) who wrap around a single foster or adoptive family. If your church has small groups, this is a great way for them to serve the community. Each WRAP Team commits to text or call the family to offer encouragement, provide childcare at least once a month, deliver a meal to the family once a week, and provide ongoing prayer. WRAP Teams often help in many other ways – lawn care, household help, grocery delivery when a new child arrives, playdates, etc. Equipped & Encouraged provides training and support to your WRAP teams.
FOSTER & ADOPTIVE PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS
Support Groups are typically held bimonthly (Sep/Nov/Jan/Mar/May) on a weeknight from 6:30-8:30. The hosting church provides a meeting space and childcare for the attendees. (It’s a huge bonus if the meeting space allows food so that we can order pizza or do a potluck-type meal.)
FAMILY EVENTS
Family Events can be opportunities for foster and adoptive families to enjoy time together with other foster and adoptive families – like an afternoon at your church playground with ice cream from a food truck – or they can be opportunities for families to take a break from everyday chores – like a drive-through dinner and board game pickup. They can be big events or simple events. There are so many ideas! We would love to hear what you have in mind or offer suggestions!
FOSTER PARENTS NIGHTS OUT
A Foster Parents Night Out is an opportunity for churches to love their neighbors by providing a night out to foster families. Your background-checked volunteers enjoy the satisfaction of serving, the families receive much-needed respite and encouragement, and the kids experience fun activities and a sense of belonging. FPNOs generally last 3-4 hours. Most churches provide a meal for the children in attendance. Equipped & Encouraged has a goal to have one FPNO each month, rotating between several churches. A PDF Foster Parent Night Out Guide is available to provide all the information and suggestions your church needs to make your FPNO a success!
WRAP MINISTRY
WRAP stands for WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT, RESPITE CARE, ACTS OF SERVICE, and PRAYER. WRAP Teams are made up of 10-12 people (or couples) who wrap around a single foster or adoptive family. If your church has small groups, this is a great way for them to serve the community. Each WRAP Team commits to text or call the family to offer encouragement, provide childcare at least once a month, deliver a meal to the family once a week, and provide ongoing prayer. WRAP Teams often help in many other ways – lawn care, household help, grocery delivery when a new child arrives, playdates, etc. Equipped & Encouraged provides training and support to your WRAP teams.
FOSTER & ADOPTIVE PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS
Support Groups are typically held bimonthly (Sep/Nov/Jan/Mar/May) on a weeknight from 6:30-8:30. The hosting church provides a meeting space and childcare for the attendees. (It’s a huge bonus if the meeting space allows food so that we can order pizza or do a potluck-type meal.)
FAMILY EVENTS
Family Events can be opportunities for foster and adoptive families to enjoy time together with other foster and adoptive families – like an afternoon at your church playground with ice cream from a food truck – or they can be opportunities for families to take a break from everyday chores – like a drive-through dinner and board game pickup. They can be big events or simple events. There are so many ideas! We would love to hear what you have in mind or offer suggestions!
ENROLL AS A CAREPORTAL CHURCH
Expand your outreach! CarePortal equips churches and ministries with a heart to help local children and families in crisis. Learn more right here.
Have more questions? Ready to jump in? We would love to chat with you! Email us at info@equippedandencouraged.org.