Changes for DHS Events this Year

by Carisa Wilsie

In case you didn't know, I love my role at our church. I get to serve within orphan care in so many ways, which allows me to reach so many people in our community and represent the heart of CRBC. When I talk to people in the community, I hear so often how people wish their church could be involved in the ways that we are. Thank you for all you pour into me and into our orphan care ministry!

One of my favorite parts of my job is our DHS partnerships. We get to love on children in foster care, current foster families and potential foster families through the different events we have hosted. For years we have volunteered at and co-hosted the big adoption event, and this has been a great experience for many who were able to volunteer. This year DHS is making some exciting changes, including how they are getting children adopted. Mainly, they are not hosting the traditional adoption events like before. These events seemed to serve a great purpose for a long time, but as our society is ever-changing and becoming more fast-paced, the process needs to adapt. Therefore, our role with these events is also going to change, and I'm SO EXCITED about the potential. 

First, the traditional big adoption event will be replaced with a conference for current and potential foster parents. We will host the first one of these events on February 29 at the Cube, and they are expecting 80 foster parents! This has been a big need for DHS, and I am thankful we have the space and capacity at the Cube to step in again. 

The second event we will host will be in place of the adoption event we have hosted each summer specifically for teens. This event has slowly evolved over time, and it is easily transitioning now to be all about the teens. No prospective adoptive families will be invited, and instead the day will focus solely on working with the teens to talk about their plans for the future and how this fits into the plan with DHS. Many of these teens are at-risk of aging out of the system without a permanent connection for a family so they are exactly what my ministry seeks to serve. I'm excited about this day! If you would like to volunteer for the teen event, it will be on Thursday, March 19, and we would love to have you. Email me at wilsie@councilroad.org for more info and to complete the background check. 

We will continue to seek opportunities to pass out bags, blankets and gift cards at different events for DHS. The teen event will include these, and we are thinking of some new things to add to the bags. If you would like to donate to this event, you can give online or in the offering buckets, designating to "DHS Event," or you can bring your donation to the Cube to me. Email me with any questions you have about our new events. I look forward to engaging anyone in orphan care who wants to get involved!