Why do you choose to volunteer with Hands of Hope?
I choose to volunteer with Hands of Hope because of my passion for children and orphans. We are called by God to care for orphans and I have seen the lives of families and children impacted by the work that Hands of Hope is doing in our community and around the world.
How is Hands of Hope impacting your foster story?
I approached Hands of Hope about volunteering when I felt the desire to serve orphans in some way. I had a few hours a week to volunteer, but I didn’t necessarily know what I wanted to do, or how I could help. At the time Hands of Hope had several needs, all with children in foster care. I started by organizing childcare for Hamilton County’s monthly DCS training meetings. Volunteers are needed to watch the children while their foster parents receive training or attend a support group. Every month I organize around 20-25 adult and student volunteers to watch approximately 65 children. The real impact was when I met the children for the first time. They no longer were nameless orphans as I may have imagined them in my mind, but real children living in my community, that needed someone to love and care for them. My husband and I realized that that “someone’ was us.
Why are you passionate about foster care?
My husband, Brad, and I are passionate about foster care because of the children and the need for foster parents. When we first started considering foster care we were overwhelmed by the need for stable, loving foster homes. Everywhere we looked in our community we saw signs. Sometimes, quite literally – signs on street corners or billboards advertising the need for foster parents, but also in the news about the drug epidemic and soaring numbers of children in foster care. We’re also passionate about the children. Through no fault of their own, these children are placed into foster care. They may have suffered neglect, abuse, or come from other difficult circumstances and need a safe place to stay, but they also need someone to care for them and show them love.
How can someone get involved in foster care if they’re not sure they are ready?
There are so many ways to get involved – even if you aren’t ready to become a foster parent.
- You can donate towards Bags of Hope. Often, when children enter the system, they are only given a trash bag for their personal items. By donating to Bags of Hope, you can help provide children placed in foster care a duffel bag and new toiletry items.
- You can volunteer to watch children during one of the monthly DCS training meetings for foster parents. Its only 2 ½ hours, and you get the opportunity to serve and spend time with some wonderful children in foster care.
- Hands of Hope hosts events throughout the year for foster children – everything from attending Colts games to a spa day. You can volunteer to chaperone one of these monthly events to give kids a fun and relaxing experience.
- You can come alongside foster parents and children through support and prayer. Pray for the kids, pray for the parents, and pray for guidance on how you can get involved.