By Kathy Osborne, Community Engagement Specialist

I had spent years working in real estate, but after stepping into stay-at-home mom life, I knew God was stirring something new. When my son started kindergarten, I was at a crossroads. I couldn’t go back to real estate, but I didn’t know what to pursue either. My husband encouraged me to find something I cared deeply about—something that wasn’t just a job but a calling.

I started praying for clarity. I asked God to open the right door. That’s when Jennifer from the Alliance spoke at our church. I’d heard of the Alliance before—our MOPS group had raised funds for them—but this time it hit differently. Jennifer shared the reality of the foster care crisis in our city. It wasn’t just numbers or statistics—it was personal. I couldn’t un-hear it. I couldn’t un-feel it.

That same day, I found myself on the Alliance website. And there it was: a job opening for a Community Engagement Specialist. I talked to Jennifer after the service and started praying about the position. God made it clear. He opened the door—and I walked through it.

Seeing the Foster Care Crisis for What It Really Is

What I discovered shocked me. I thought I had a general idea of what was happening. I didn’t. The depth of need in our city is overwhelming. We hear about it in passing, but most of us don’t let it sit too long in our hearts. It’s easier not to. But I had to face it head-on—and it changed me.

Even though my family doesn’t feel called to foster right now, God showed me that everyone has a role to play if we want to help end the foster care crisis. For me, that role is working with the Alliance Prevention Network. Through it, I’ve seen God move in incredible ways—building bridges between the church and the state, and watching churches step up in powerful, tangible ways.

I’ve seen families get the support they need. Volunteers have shown up with meals, beds, diapers—whatever the moment called for. Some of those answered prayers brought me to tears. Over and over again, God provides. He brings the right people, at the right time, for the right situation.

How Church Engagement Helps End the Foster Care Crisis

Being part of this work also changed how I saw my own church. I started to feel frustrated with how passive we’d been. It’s easy to be lukewarm when the problem feels far away. But this crisis is in our backyard. These are our children. This is our city.

So instead of sitting in frustration, I connected with others in our church who shared my passion. Together, we took action. We met with leaders. We shared what we were seeing. And something shifted. Pastors raised their hands. A foster/adopt ministry was launched. Today, our church is engaged and stepping into this space like never before.

Ways to Help End the Foster Care Crisis Without Fostering

If you’ve ever thought, “This isn’t my thing. I’m not called to foster,” I get it. I’ve been there. But I urge you to think again. Foster families need backup. Caseworkers need support. Birth families in crisis need people who will walk with them.

There’s a role for you. There’s a role for your church. It starts with acknowledging the crisis and saying, “I’m willing to do something.” That “something” might look different for each of us—but together, we can make a difference.

How can we call ourselves followers of Christ and not step in to help the least of these? God didn’t call me to foster—but He did call me to this mission. And I’m telling you—there’s a part for you too.