May is Foster Care Awareness Month, and this year you can make a lasting impact on children in care in your own community. Whether you’re able to give money or time, your contribution helps families thrive. Foster parents/resource parents open their hearts and homes to children experiencing foster care. This is a worthwhile yet difficult transition for both children and adults; however, when the community rallies around families who are fostering, those families are better equipped to thrive. 

To ensure support, communities must walk alongside children and families impacted by foster care. A supportive community has the power to make a resounding impact on families affected by foster care, easing the transition for children and parents. Whether through foster care donations that provide financial support to families or showing up for families with emotional support, children experiencing foster care thrive when they are rooted in community. Your contribution builds a network of meaningful support and encouragement for families currently fostering. This Foster Care Awareness Month, there are so many ways you can help; from volunteering your time to raising awareness or providing essential resources. Every action makes a difference. 

Ways Communities Can Support Foster Care 

Community fostering is about wrapping foster families/resource families in support. This isn’t limited to their close family and friends; anyone can make a significant difference in the lives of people impacted by foster care.  

Every Child Oregon supports multiple programs across the state aimed at supporting foster/resource parents and providing care for the families currently fostering, improving the retention of foster/resource parents across the state. Volunteers at Foster Parent’s Night Out provide temporary respite for resource parents, allowing them to recharge while knowing their children in care are safe. Peer Mentorship creates a unique space for new foster/resource parents to connect with mentors through supportive conversations over scheduled weekly connections. My NeighbOR shares real-time needs from verified families and youth who are connected to Oregon’s foster and human services system and allows for community members to meet those needs. Respite Care, provides foster parents/resource parents with the critical opportunity to recharge by opting in to safe short-term care that can have a lasting impact on the lives of children. This reduces burnout and strengthens foster parents’ ability to provide the best care possible for the children in their home. These are a few ways you can effectively walk alongside and strengthen the foster care community. 

Hear from one of our volunteers in Oregon! 

“My husband and I have always wanted to adopt and/or foster. We both have an adopted sibling. I spent over a year total volunteering at a children’s home in Mexico, where I worked with kids with attachment disorders. I am currently working as an OT [occupational therapist], and I have come to know some foster families that way.

My husband and I have been volunteering with Foster Parent’s Night Out for 2 years to get to know people. There are several people in our church community who have fostered children. I have long felt a calling to raise children who need a home. My husband is planning to get his counseling degree next year. We’re both excited to start training!” 

You can become a vital part of ensuring that foster families are surrounded by a local community of changemakers and have access to the resources they need to thrive. Community fostering looks like volunteers bringing hope, stability, and a sense of belonging to children and their families impacted by foster care. 

Looking for a different way to get involved? You can help build a brighter, more supportive future for children and families who need it most by taking the time to show up. Fill out a connect form, learn about your local child welfare office, or discover what events are happening in your city to support community fostering. The difference you make can be life-changing, not just for the children, but for your entire community. 

 
The Power of Giving

Foster care donations reduce the financial burden for resource parents, whether it’s meeting an immediate need or offsetting ongoing expenses through programs like My NeighbOR. Your contribution reminds foster families/resource families that they are not alone and that there is a community intentionally rooting for them. Every kind word, thoughtful gesture, and generous monetary gift to Every Child helps us provide critical support and lifts the weight that foster families often carry. It sends a powerful message: that there’s a circle of people who see them, support them, and believe in the transformative power of safe, loving homes. 

Foster Care Awareness Month is a chance for all of us to rally around these families, to step up, speak out, and show up in ways both big and small.  

Community in Action: Support for a Family Affected by Wildfires 

Here is a story from one of our affiliates in Columbia County. 

“When word spread about a foster family of eight in Tillamook impacted by the recent wildfires, the community didn’t hesitate to respond. Volunteers in Columbia County quickly rallied to meet the family’s needs. 

Thanks to their generosity and swift action, Every Child NW was able to deliver essential items — including clothes, shoes, and school supplies for all six children — along with gift cards to help with groceries and other necessities. 

This is a beautiful example of what happens when neighbors step up for one another. It’s Every Child Oregon’s My NeighbOR program in action, reminding us that even in the toughest times, our communities are strongest when we care for each other.” 
 
Donating to support foster care is more than monetary generosity. Donate your time, your energy, or your voice to help and support families fostering in Oregon! 

Strengthening the Foster Care System 

Through partnership with agencies, organizations, and faith communities across the state, Every Child and our growing network have come together to support children and families impacted by child welfare. By investing in this network, you help strengthen this web of support for families and children in care. From foster care donation to tangible needs, tutoring, meal support, backpack drives, family fun days and more. The continual efforts of the greater foster care community uplift families by offering much-needed encouragement. They also help create a sense of belonging for children and families navigating the foster care system.  
 

Your decision to show up and say yes to volunteering, donating, or fostering cultivates a culture of compassion and empathy, and creates stronger community fostering ties that help promote more resilient families.