Pastor Robert Griffith Virginia: 5 Practical Ways Small Churches Can Support Foster Families
Pastor Robert Griffith Virginia
Small churches often underestimate their impact. They may not have large budgets, full-time staff, or dedicated outreach departments—but what they do have is often more powerful: tight community, deep relationships, and a willingness to serve.
Supporting foster families doesn’t require massive infrastructure. It requires consistency, intentionality, and a little creativity. Here are five simple ways small churches can make a real difference:
1. Meal Support
When a foster placement happens, things move fast. Families don’t always have time to grocery shop or meal prep. A two-week meal train can lift an enormous burden. Ask a coordinator to handle the calendar. Stick with easy, freezable meals. Even five families pitching in makes a huge impact.
2. Supply Closet Ministry
Foster parents often receive children with little warning—and with few belongings. Your church can keep a small closet with hygiene items, clothing basics, diapers, school supplies, and backpacks. Work with local agencies to understand common needs. Keep it simple, clean, and accessible.
3. Respite and Babysitting Help
Caring for children who’ve experienced trauma takes energy. Foster parents need occasional breaks, especially during court hearings or required training. Volunteers can provide short-term babysitting or respite care if they complete the proper background checks. Churches can coordinate training events to get multiple volunteers cleared at once.
4. Prayer and Encouragement Team
Foster families face emotional and spiritual challenges. Assign two or three people per family to provide regular encouragement—notes, texts, and prayer check-ins. It's not flashy, but knowing someone is walking with them helps families stay strong when things get hard.
5. Transportation Assistance
Between visitations, school changes, and appointments, transportation becomes a major need. Even one or two vetted drivers can ease pressure on a foster family. Many families say this is one of the most helpful forms of support—and one of the least offered.
The strength of a small church isn’t in numbers. It’s in relationships. That’s exactly what foster families need: people they can trust, lean on, and turn to in moments of stress.
You don’t need a separate ministry department or a big rollout. Start with one family. Serve well. Learn as you go. If the Church truly wants to reflect God’s heart for the vulnerable, these small, faithful acts are where it begins.
To explore foster care engagement, national dialogue, or connect with Pastor Bob Griffith’s book Fostering Jesus, visit FosteringJesus.org.