Foster Care in America
Everything in one place
Guides, devotionals, glossary, county info, theology, and curated books and podcasts.
Share stories, ask questions, celebrate wins, and pray with other foster families.
Find diapers, clothing, food, mental health, and county foster care resources near you.
Free App
The free app built for daily foster parent life — track children, log mileage, find resources, check in on your wellness, and connect with community. Used by thousands of families.
Join our community — get resources, stories, and encouragement delivered to your inbox.
For Families
Guides, tools, printables, and links curated for foster families.
What to do when a child arrives — from immediate needs to paperwork to the first night routine.
Open in App →Daily scripture and reflection for the unique calling of foster care. Free download.
Understanding how trauma shapes behavior and how to respond with connection instead of correction.
Learn More →Plain-English definitions for every acronym and term you'll encounter in the system.
Biblical guidance for the day-to-day challenges of parenting children from hard places.
Search your state and county to find your local foster care agency, contacts, and requirements.
The biblical case for why foster care matters to God — and why it should matter to the Church.
Common misconceptions about foster care — answered with real data and honest truth.
The best books, podcasts, and ministries for foster families — hand-picked by Scott & Heather.
For Families
Free devotionals written for the unique journey of foster and adoptive families.
A 40-day journey through scripture designed for foster parents — covering identity, calling, surrender, perseverance, and hope. One page a day. Free forever.
Download Free PDFDay-by-day biblical encouragement for the hard, holy work of parenting children from hard places. Practical. Honest. Grounded in grace.
Download Free PDF"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise." — 1 Corinthians 1:27
You may not feel like enough. Most foster parents don't. But the calling of God has never been about your résumé — it's about your availability. You said yes. That's where God starts. He will fill in everything else.
"And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me." — Matthew 18:5
You may wonder if the short placement mattered. It did. A safe night, a warm meal, a moment of being seen — these leave imprints that outlast memory. You are not just fostering a child. You are welcoming Christ himself.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." — Matthew 5:4
The grief of reunification is real. It doesn't mean you failed — it means you loved well. Jesus doesn't ask you to be unmoved. He weeps with you. And then he asks you to trust that the same God who placed this child in your arms is still holding them.
For Families
Plain-English definitions for every acronym and term you'll encounter in the system.
Find Local Info
Search your state and county to find your local foster care agency, contacts, licensing requirements, and resources.
Curated For You
Hand-picked by Scott & Heather — the resources that have most shaped our understanding of foster care and faith.
by Scott Tuttle
A church guide to foster care ministry — the theological and pastoral foundation every church leader needs.
Order on Amazon →by Karyn Purvis
The gold standard for trauma-informed parenting. Every foster parent should read this book.
Find on Amazon →by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
A foster care memoir that will help you understand your child's world from the inside out.
Find on Amazon →by Jayne Schooler
How adoptive and foster families can help heal the effects of early trauma.
Find on Amazon →by Johnny Carr
A call for the church to engage with the orphan crisis — theologically and practically.
Find on Amazon →by Jennifer Grant
A children's picture book about adoption and belonging — a wonderful read-aloud for the whole family.
Find on Amazon →Stories from the frontlines of foster care. Honest, moving, and deeply encouraging.
Listen →Foster care advocates, foster youth alumni, and foster parents share real stories and practical wisdom.
Listen →Faith-grounded conversations on orphan care, foster care, and adoption from a biblical lens.
Visit →Improving the lives of foster youth through community, advocacy, and practical support.
Visit →Christian Alliance for Orphans — uniting hundreds of organizations in the movement to care for orphans and vulnerable children.
Visit →National resource for foster and adoptive families — child profiles, family support, and training.
Visit →Federal resource hub — state-by-state laws, training, and foster care information.
Visit →Dr. Karyn Purvis's TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) resources for parents of children from hard places.
Visit →Learn
The biblical case for why caring for vulnerable children is not a program — it's the heart of God.
Foundation
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
James doesn't say caring for orphans is nice or admirable. He says it is the defining mark of authentic faith. Foster care is not a church program — it is the church being the church.
Identity
Genesis 1:27 declares that every human being is made in the image of God — the Imago Dei. This includes every child sitting in a courtroom, every teenager aging out of the system, every toddler placed in your home at 2am.
To receive a vulnerable child is to receive someone who bears the face of God. Foster care is, at its core, an act of worship.
The Gospel
Romans 8:15 says: "The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship." We are all adopted. We were all spiritual orphans, and God chose us.
When you foster or adopt, you are enacting the gospel story in physical form — offering belonging to someone who had none. You are doing what God did for you.
The Church's Role
No foster family can sustain this calling alone. The New Testament vision of the church is one where "there are no needy persons among them" (Acts 4:34). That vision includes the 391,000 children in foster care today.
Foster care is not a calling for a few heroic families. It is a calling for the whole church — some to foster, some to support, all to pray.
James 1:27
Look after orphans and widows in their distress.
Isaiah 1:17
Defend the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.
Matthew 18:5
Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
Psalm 68:5–6
God is a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows. He sets the lonely in families.
Romans 8:15
The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.
Deuteronomy 10:18
He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner.
Learn
Common misconceptions about foster care — answered honestly, with real data.
Learn
Forty daily prayers for foster children, foster families, birth families, caseworkers, and the Church.
The complete PDF includes all 40 prayers plus group discussion questions — perfect for small groups, MOPS groups, and church foster care teams.
Download Free PDFIn Your Community
Search for diapers, clothing, food, mental health services, and more — near you, right now.
Community
Share stories, ask questions, celebrate wins, and pray together. You are not alone.
Community
"Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you." — Psalm 55:22
Share what's on your heart. Our team and community will be praying with you.
Want to receive prayer requests and pray for foster families each week? Join our prayer team.
Answers
Honest answers to the questions every foster parent asks.
We respond within 48 hours — personally.
Scott and Heather respond personally within 48 hours.
Or email us directly: fosterhopefamily@gmail.com
📞 916.212.0487
Support the Mission
Everything on this site — and our app — is free because of generous donors who believe in this mission.
Your gift supports free resources, the Our Foster Family app, devotionals, county guides, and the community you just found. 100% goes to the mission.
Give Now →Make payable to Foster Hope Ministries.
PO Box 2382
Vacaville, CA 95696
Foster Hope Ministries is a registered nonprofit. Your gift may be tax-deductible. Questions? fosterhopefamily@gmail.com