23 MORE IDEAS FOR CHURCHES

Adapted from the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange:

  1. Adopt-a case-worker. Churches can “adopt” a CPS case worker to provide moral support or purchase items the case worker’s clients need.
  1. Blue Sunday (National Day of Prayer). On the designated Sunday (usually the last Sunday in April) join with participating churches and take five minutes out of the Sunday schedule to pray for abused and neglected children and their abusers. Visit the Blue Sunday website for more info.
  1. Family Counseling. Provide counseling services for families involved with CPS or donate counseling fees.
  1. Tutoring Program. Having a tutoring program within your church open to the community, or begin a ministry within a current tutoring program.
  1. Personal Grooming. Find hairdressers within your congregation who are willing to donate their services to make youth involved with CPS feel special—especially at special events such as Prom. Congregations could co-sponsor Prom prep-night with stylist staff to do hair, nails, and give tips on general etiquette.
  1. Foster/Adoptive parent support. Provide meetings, space, refreshments, or leadership to allow Foster and Adoptive parents in your areas to gather for a support group.
  1. Food Pantry. Create a food pantry within the congregation or a backpack program designed to send non-perishable items home with students over the weekend so they will not go hungry.
  1. Child Care. Provide day care and/or after school care for children and families involved with CPS.
  1. Special occasion celebrations/toys drives/schools supply drives. Throw parties, toy or supply drives, or donate to existing drives that will help children, youth in transition and/or families involved with CPS celebrate special occasions such as birthdays, adoption, consummations, graduations, or holidays such as Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving.
  1. Ministries to Youth in Transition. Donate supplies for youth aging out of the foster care system. Items could include towels, pots, and pans sets, sheets and other household necessities, or financial support to cover the cost of things such as driver’s education classes. Churches may also decide to offer apprenticeships with congregation member in a number of skilled labor areas such as electrical repair plumbing.
  1. Teen Pregnancy Prevention & Teen Support. Support local programs such as Parent Life Lubbock. Provide after school or weekend programs designed to keep youth engaged in various fun and educational activities.
  1. Teen and Youth Mentoring. Provide mentors from your congregation for youth and teens involved with CPS.
  1. Family Group Decision Making Conference. Offer space at your church and/or refreshments to support biological families and children involved with CPS for family Group Decision Making Conferences or other Special Events.
  1. Child & Youth Summer Camps. Sponsor children in foster care to attend camps, which may involve camp fees, supplies, or transportation.
  1. Transportation Resources. Provide financial support or physical rides for families whose children are involved with CPS so they are able to attend appointments, work, visit and other meetings. To find out more information about volunteering with CPS, please visit Volunteer with DFPS.
  1. Community Resources Liaison. Provide a member of your congregation who can connect children and families involved with CPS with needed resources in your church family. 
  1. Budget and Financial Planning. Offer classes or mentors for families and/or youth to train, educate and assist them in managing finances.
  1. Fatherhood Initiative. Provide meeting space, refreshments, and other services needed to support the Texas Fatherhood Initiative.
  1. CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate). Become a volunteer and advocate for a child’s best interested in the court system.
  1. Prison Ministries. Offer a ministry to parents who are incarcerated or the children involved with CPS whose parents are incarcerated such as a group mentor.
  1. Addiction Recovery. Offer access to the Church’s addiction recovery ministries such as Celebrate Recovery parents who are involved in CPS and/or youth involved with CPS.
  1. Gift Card Drive. Congregation can gather donated gift cards to give to foster/adoptive families or youth involved with CPS.
  1. Calling out Ceremonies. Church can organize and host a calling out ceremony to bring attention to children who are waiting for a forever family and pray for them.

If you have any questions, contact us. We are happy to help.