The words “not enough” are heard every day inside our nation’s foster care system.

Not enough resources.
Not enough families.
Not enough support.

Unfortunately, this system overflowing with “not enough” does not lack children—each one with unique needs.

A brief snapshot of foster care in the U.S. makes this plain:

Over 400,000 children are currently in the system. Compared to other children their age, kids in foster care are 5 times as likely to have anxiety and 7 times as likely to suffer from depression. Of these children, over 100,000 are waiting to be adopted.

While some will be welcomed into permanent homes, over 20,000 children age out of the system each year. One out of every five people who age out of the foster care system lacks a home. And by the time former foster youth are 24, only half have stable and steady employment. The same percentage develop substance abuse.

Children aren’t the only ones affected. From foster families to birth families to agency and caseworkers… millions of individuals are impacted by the “not enough-s” of foster care.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

In partnership with churches and organizations across the nation—like Lifesong and The Forgotten Initiative—Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) is on a mission to see the foster care community have more than enough support before, during, and beyond foster care. And they believe we can achieve this by 2025.

Does this sound like a lofty goal? It’s actually within reach.

See the strategy!

One County At A Time

Consider this: If just 10% of churches in every county were actively engaged in foster care, there would be more than enough for kids and families before, during, and beyond foster care.

But achieving 10% is only possible when individuals like you step up and declare that “not enough” isn’t good enough for the most vulnerable kids in our country.

Try as you may, you can’t transform our entire nation’s foster care system. But you can make an impact in your own county.

Here’s the game plan.

More Than Enough Requires 3 Things

#1: Believe It’s Possible

Believe there can and should be more than enough…

• Foster and kinship families for every child to have an ideal placement
• Adoptive families for every child waiting for adoption
• Help for biological families trying to stabilize and reunify
• Wrap-around support from the church for foster, adoptive and biological families

Side note: One of the best ways to care about a cause is to give it a face and a name. We highly encourage you to check out The Forgotten Podcast, a podcast by Lifesong advocate ministry The Forgotten Initiative. They’ve produced hundreds of episodes focused on amplifying the voices of those in the foster care community. Listen here!

#2: Do Your Part

Commit to ensuring that 10% of churches in your area are actively engaged in foster care by 2025.

#3: Do It Together

You can’t do it alone. Engage in trust-building environments for the purpose of …

• Coordinating efforts
• Cooperating with churches and organizations
• Collaborating for impact in my county and beyond

So, are you in?

If you’re ready to take the next step, join the More Than Enough community. You’ll have access to updates, resources, and information about foster care in your community. Plus, you’ll be joining over 350 churches and organizations across 456 counties!