8 Ways You Can Help Foster Families
Bring Food
Few things are more helpful after a busy day of taking care of the family then to receive a packaged dinner ready for consumption without any of the work that’s usually involved. Bringing food to a foster family takes a huge load off the back of worn-down foster parents.
Babysit
Give foster parents the night off by offering to babysit the children. Babysitters do need to be approved so talk to the prospective foster parents about doing this ahead of time. Then, give them so options in the near future with what days of the week or specific dates that you could help out.
Play Dates
If you have children of your own, then schedule play dates with the foster family. When children are playing with other children, it helps give parents a few ‘down’ moments to hang out with other adults or simply not have to worry about entertaining their kids. Don’t underestimate how much this can help.
Volunteer
There are numerous foster care organizations that you can volunteer your time at. Reach out to your local foster agencies. What are some of your best skills? Utilize them to help out.
Guardian ad Litem
Foster children need their own representatives – objective adults who don’t have an agenda other than what is in the best interests of the children. Guardians visit the children in the foster home, get to know the foster parents and the situation the child is in. Finally, they do the very important task of representing the foster children in court. Learn more about becoming a Guardian ad Litem.
Pray
Pray that foster children find a permanent, loving home. Pray that foster parents will endure the difficulties that come with foster parenting and that they will fight the good fight. Pray that more churches will call upon their parishioners to become foster parents. Pray that more people will understand the foster care system and that more good people will get involved to fix the system. Pray for our lawmakers that they will make the right moves to help the foster children throughout the world. Pray.
Educate Your Church
Speak up at your church and let your pastor and staff know about the foster care call. Too many churches are simply not involved at a deep level with foster care. That needs to change. Learn more here about this issue.
Spread the Word
Social media and word of mouth are two of the best ways to spread the word about the foster care needs. Spend some time to think about how you can spread the word via those means and others, and then do it. There are children waiting right now and you can be the difference.
— Rich Nilsen was a foster parent for 3 years in Florida and is the founder of Foster.Today
