About
ABOUT
Every Child shares the realities of foster care while demonstrating a positive, collaborative, and hopeful tone that challenges the stereotypes associated with the system and those involved.
Every Child provides meaningful ways for anyone and everyone to engage with the child welfare system.
While inviting individuals to get involved at any level, Every Child Oregon is relentless about sharing the need for more foster families, and has become the Oregon Department of Human Services’ strongest foster (resource) family recruiting entity.
As foster (resource) families come forward at an unprecedented rate and families of origin get reunified (the goal of foster care), Every Child provides relational, community, and tangible support for families.
Every Child Volunteers Mobilized
Tangible Needs Met for Youth & Families Since March 2020
Certified Families Have Come Forward Through Every Child’s Efforts
of Respite Provided through Foster Parents’ Night Out
Makeovers of Department of Human Services Visitation Rooms in Oregon
Every Child Oregon (originally named Embrace Oregon), humbly began in Portland with Welcome Boxes and appreciation of the regional child welfare workers. The momentum grew in Portland, and Embrace Oregon began to experience unprecedented results. Interest began to pour in from other counties across Oregon asking, “How can I start something like this in my community?”
In 2015 the interest was turned to action with a statewide expansion of the vision. The expansion was named Every Child Oregon. Now, across Oregon leaders are building unlikely bridges, stabilizing families for the next generation, and mobilizing Oregonians to care for their neighbors.
Partnering with ODHS and community organizations, Every Child works to solve Oregon’s foster care crisis through marketing, education, one-on-one connections, and public and private initiatives.
Every Child Oregon has a presence in all 36 Oregon counties. Every Child Oregon is an initiative of The Contingent, a venture non-profit that mobilizes community and empowers leaders for the common good.
Every Child is active throughout the state! Get involved in your local community!
I invite you to join me in being a YES to giving your time to show kids that they are precious, to show our overworked, short-staffed ODHS workers that we appreciate their efforts, to show Resource Families and Birth Families that they have outside support. That many hands truly do make light work!Shannon Deschutes County Volunteer
My dreams for the youth in the foster care system is for them to find themselves and become a part of their version of a family. Family can mean many different things! I want them to love themselves for who they are. Self love is more important than you’ll ever know!Lauren Former Youth in Care
I love all the families I have had the privilege to work with. Some days are harder than others, but the rewards are worth it. I also have an energetic and supportive group of coworkers.Stacie ODHS Social Worker
I don’t think of it as saying yes to fostering. I say yes to the kids. Before I even knew what foster care was, if my kids friends needed help I said yes, and when I was growing up if one of my friends needed help my mom said yes. This is a very easy question. If a child showed up on your doorstep and said, I need help, would you turn your back or would you say come in and l will help however I can?Holly Foster (Resource) Parent