10 Ways to Support Foster Families

Foster families welcome children in our community who need a family. These kids often have many needs because they’ve come from hard places and may also be part of a sibling group. In addition, the foster care system is complicated, and there are many requirements for caring for these kids. 

So foster parents need to know that their friends and family are by their side. How? That will depend on your gifts and interests, your closeness to the family and their needs. But everyone can support foster families. Here are some ideas to get you started. 

1.  Make dinner for the family. Consider doing this weekly (or often), and you can even set up a meal train to have a small group of friends help consistently lighten the family’s load.

2.  Get approved as a babysitter or respite provider with PCHAS to support the family. Then, offer the family several options. “I can babysit for you on the 1st or 2nd Saturday night this month. Is one of those days better for you?” may be easier for a family to receive (and respond to) than a general “let me know how I can help.”

3.  Offer to wash clothes, fold laundry or help with other household chores to help the family.

4.  Bless the family by mowing their lawn. You can even offer to weed and fertilize on the schedule you use for your own yard.

5.  Show appreciation through gifts and acts of kindness that are meaningful to the family. An unexpected favorite drink, sweet treat or gift card can brighten someone’s day.

6.  Encourage foster families through notes, calls or text messages. Families caring for children from hard places need to know you see and care about them, too. They may be busy and unable to respond, but your words of encouragement are gold!

7.  Pray for foster families. They can’t share details, but you can intercede even without the specifics because God knows and cares about their needs.

8.  Listen for extra expenses the family may incur and offer to help them get the things they need.

9.  Be a helper. Extra hands can be beneficial when putting together a birthday party, cleaning up for house guests or handling days with many appointments. 

10.  Stay connected to the family and keep reaching out. The #1 reason families stop fostering is lack of support. 

Everyone can play a helpful role in the lives of kids in foster care. If you want to learn more, you can Join an Online Info Session or Connect With Us at 281-324-0544 or email fosteradopt@pchas.org.