What does a healthy community look like? Some may think of manicured lawns and flower beds, but the true mark of a healthy community is its ability to provide a safe and supportive environment for families and children to thrive. Yet in the United States, many families and children face a crisis of well-being. Oftentimes, the assistance they need already exists, but many communities lack the tools necessary to communicate and coordinate support for families. As the most vulnerable among us, kids in crisis risk experiencing trauma, neglect, and separation. That’s why we partner with CarePortal, which uses technology to link struggling families with local churches and services. With their online care-sharing platform, community members can see and respond to real, current needs from local families. In Hailey’s case, the support she received from her community through CarePortal helped stabilize her family in a time of significant uncertainty.
A Mother and Children in Crisis
Hailey, a single mother of five children, lived without stable housing for some time. After experiencing homelessness, she finally secured safe housing and a new job, marking an enormous step forward for her family. Yet, stability remained out of reach. Their new apartment came unfurnished, and she lacked essential items like beds, bedding, and dressers for her children and herself. The estimated cost exceeded $600, far beyond what Hailey could afford.
This is where CarePortal stepped in. A child services professional entered a request for the furniture in the care-sharing platform. After overcoming so much, they wanted to help Hailey and prevent further crises for her children. What followed was a powerful display of collective care: five different churches in her area answered the request. One church provided bed frames. Another donated bedding and pillows. Others stepped in with dressers, mattresses, and even helped deliver and set up the items. Within days, Hailey’s empty apartment transformed into a warm, welcoming home.
Collective Care Restores Birth Families
Among the most critical items provided were the beds. A bed isn’t just a piece of furniture; it’s a place of rest, security, and healing. For children who have faced upheaval, sleeping on a bed of their own brings a sense of comfort and stability. It signals a shift from survival to safety, from crisis to care. A bed is a requirement in most states for children to remain with their parents.
The impact extended far beyond the physical items. Each church that responded had the opportunity to be part of something they might not have accomplished on their own. Their collective response became a tangible expression of what it means to be the Church in action: different bodies united by one purpose, serving the same family.
For Hailey and her children, the furniture represented a bigger gift. The family retained dignity and stability and rediscovered they’re not alone. Now, instead of sleeping on the floor, each child has a bed. Instead of clothes scattered in bags, there’s a place to store them. Most importantly, this family knows that five communities of people, the churches, are invested in their well-being. This is what community support for families looks like: preventing separation and restoring peace to parents and kids.
A Collective of Community Support for Families
The assistance families and kids in crisis need already exists, but many communities lack the tools they need to communicate and coordinate collective care. We partner with organizations like CarePortal, empowering them to provide effective community support for families and ultimately reducing the number of children placed in foster care. Preserving families and preventing foster care is the first step to ending the child welfare crisis. We believe in it so strongly that it’s the first tier of our solution to end the crisis, the Well-Being Support Ecosystem(TM). This approach takes collective care from the local to the state level, uniting communities to serve America’s kids and families. Read more and find out how to get involved by clicking the button below.
