Children witness the love of Christ alive and present in the arms of a family.
The County of Los Angeles has more than 28,000 children in foster care. These foster children and youth need the love of a family to support them and nurture them to their full potential.
Without care and support children aging out of the foster care system can end up homeless, incarcerated, trafficked, in poverty or face early parenthood.
We can all do our part to help children in foster care.
Our Catholic Community - parishes, schools, families and individuals can support children in foster care.
There something for everyone!
Our office can provide speakers who can speak to parishioners about fostering and how the parish community can support foster children as a group. We’ll help you find a speaker for after Mass, provide you with prayers cards and resources regarding foster care
To book a speaker at your parish, contact Gina Vides (213) 637-7690.
Parish communities can also:
Pray for foster children and their families. Order our prayer cards featuring St. Jerome Emiliani, patron of foster children.
Organize a blessing at Mass for foster and adoptive families in the parish – English Spanish
Include Intercessions for Foster Youth during Mass.
Ask your pastor to read our report on Foster Care and tie in foster and adoption in his homily.
Place our flyers in the parish so families can earn about fostering – English Spanish
Youth in foster care often lack the basic clothes they need. Many have to carry all their belongings in trash bags as they leave their homes. You can help foster youth by collecting items for them. Have fun and collect practical items like pajamas on Pajama Day, socks on Crazy Sock Day, backpacks at Back to School, or duffel bags. Donate the items to an organization that helps foster children, call us and we can connect you (213)637-7690.
Is your family called to be a foster family to children in need? Perhaps you have questions: How long is the process? Is there compensation? Do you need to own a house?
Foster All can answer your questions. There are dozens of foster family agencies, ready to serve you, let Foster All help find the best agency for your family.
We know that in our Catholic Communities many families have opened their hearts and their homes to foster children. Let’s build a community around families who are helping children in need.
Your family can be a resource family to families who are fostering!
Safe Families is an innovative collaboration between area churches, volunteers, and childcare professionals to support at-risk children and parents in need – with the goal of keeping children out of foster care. The parish community would support a family in crisis, whether the parents are facing sickness, hospital stays, homelessness, job loss, jail time, drug addiction, or another crisis. Trained families from the parish would welcome children under 18 years old into their homes free for as long as the family needs. The average length of stay is about six weeks, and the biological family maintains parental rights. Visit Olive Crest to learn more about their local Safe Families program.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) are trained volunteers who represent and advocate for youth in the dependency court system. Each CASA represents the best interests of the child and makes a life-changing difference. Learn more HERE!
Single persons can also become foster parents. Learn about steps to become a foster parent. (Spanish)
Are you called to be a Foster Parent? Perhaps, you have questions: How long is the process? Is there compensation? Do you need to own a house?
Foster All can answer your questions. There are dozens of fostering agencies, ready to serve you, let Foster All help find the best agency for you.
Many organizations lack resources and are always looking for volunteers to help with programs and events. Volunteering is also a great way to learn not just about foster care but also an organization’s mission. This will help you focus on an area that perhaps you hear a calling to.
A simple way to help is to create awareness about foster care. Follow organizations on social media and spread the good work they are doing.
County resources from the Children and Family Services Departments
Los Angeles County
Ventura County
https://strengtheningvcfamilies.org/
Santa Barbara County
Join the Catholic Legislative Network
Sign up for the Catholic Legislative Network’s email alerts so you can raise your voice for children and youth in foster care in the California legislature.
Educate Yourself and Your Parish with Angelus News Articles:
Fostering hope: L.A. churches part of growing foster care movement
How to foster a culture of life: A suicide survivor’s miraculous witness
Why women aren’t choosing adoption – and how pro-lifers can change that
Life after foster care: How young adults are winding up on the streets