Foster care is a vital support system for children who have experienced trauma or family disruption. It provides them with a safe and stable environment where they can heal, grow, and thrive. However, the impact of foster care extends beyond just the homes of foster parents/resource parents, and everyone can do something to make a difference! Volunteers play an essential role in supporting children, families, and the wider foster care community. If you’re looking for a meaningful way to give back, becoming a foster care volunteer is an impactful and rewarding path to consider. 

OVERVIEW

Foster care is more than just a temporary arrangement; it’s a lifeline for children who need emotional, physical, and psychological support. The foster care system often faces challenges such as a shortage of foster parents/resource parents, a need for resources, and the requirement for specialized care to address the trauma that many children face. Volunteers help bridge these gaps, providing necessary assistance and ensuring that children and families are supported. Whether you’re helping a child navigate their circumstances or offering respite to foster parents/resource parents, your time and effort can create ripples of positive change. 

You Don’t Have to Be a Foster Parent to Make a Difference 

While being a foster parent/resource parent is a significant commitment, you don’t have to open your home to become part of the solution. There are various ways you can help that don’t require fostering a child yourself. Volunteering your time can have an equally significant impact. Whether it’s offering administrative support, organizing donation drives, mentoring children, or providing emotional support, there’s a place for everyone who wants to contribute. It’s important to remember that the work of volunteers is not only meaningful, but essential to the health and success of the foster care system. 

How Foster Care Volunteers Can Help Children and Families 

Volunteers can help in a variety of ways, directly benefiting children and foster families/resource families in need in their community.

Opportunities differ from county to county. Here are just a few examples of how you can make a difference: 

1. My NeighbOR: This program mobilizes Oregonians to meet the unique, pressing, and tangible needs of families. Real-time needs get posted from verified families and youth who are connected to Oregon’s foster and human services system.
   

2. Foster Parents’ Night Out: Foster Parents’ Night Out, know as FPNO, is a monthly three to four-hour respite event that follows the academic calendar. FPNO is a unique program that provides consistent monthly respite to ODHS foster parents/resource parents, run by local leadership and volunteers who are background-checked and trained. Today, there is a vibrant network of local organizations and communities throughout Oregon that host FPNO, serving hundreds of children each month.
   
   You can join FPNO as a caring volunteer or launch a site in your own community.
   *FPNO opportunities are not available in every county
   
3. Welcome Boxes: These gift boxes are made for children entering foster care to help comfort and distract them while they wait at a Child Welfare office. Most kids have to wait at least two hours while a social worker finds a safe place for them to stay. This is often a very scary and uncertain time—they’ve just been removed from their home and don’t know what comes next. Each child takes their Welcome Box with them to their new foster home. Since many arrive with very few belongings, having something of their own can mean a lot.
   
   Creating a Welcome Box is a simple but powerful way to show care for a child in need—and it’s a great activity for the whole family to do together.
   
4. ODHS Staff Appreciation + Service Projects: Events express gratitude to the individuals who’ve committed their lives to caring for children and families in crisis in our community. Service Projects at ODHS offices include makeovers, clothing closet creation, cleaning days, and more.
   Fill out a form in your local community to receive more information about these opportunity.
   
5. My Community: This program connects caring community volunteers with foster families/resource families in need of support. Volunteer teams come alongside families to offer both tangible and intangible care, through meals, random acts of kindness, and encouragement!

In any capacity, volunteers bring hope, stability, and a sense of community to children and their families inpacted by foster care. Your contribution—no matter how big or small—creates lasting, positive change.