Every year, thousands of families in crisis risk separation–not because of abuse or neglect, but because they struggle with one or more of the 13 social determinants of health. Too often, a lack of coordination between local resources keeps families from getting the help they need. That’s where our partner Restore Hope steps in. Through the 100 Families initiative, they unite existing service providers into a community-wide support system that helps prevent foster care. One such family, Mariah and her children, avoided foster care because of the 100 Families Program. Today, Mariah has gone from crisis to career. Read her story below.
How the 100 Families Program Prevents Foster Care
Restore Hope’s 100 Families model combines custom software with a collective impact strategy, bringing together government agencies, nonprofits, and private organizations. They share a common goal and measurements to provide comprehensive support aimed at keeping families together. Their ultimate goal is to move families from crisis to career, empowering them to regain agency over their circumstances. By leveraging existing community resources and coordinating services, families receive the help they need to address the root causes of their crisis. This strategy helps prevent children from going into foster care.
For example, a single unemployed father may be in transitional housing and unable to find a more secure home without a job. If the situation isn’t resolved, the children may be placed in foster care. 100 Families will assign a coordinator to his open case and provide a bridge between the transitional housing facility and career services, creating a holistic strategy to help move him from crisis to stability. The 100 Families model serves as an accountability partner, helping families address the root issues that keep them in crisis
Support groups and organizations exist, but if they don’t speak to each other, the extent of the family’s crisis remains unaddressed. The 100 Families model empowers a community with a system and playbook to coordinate existing services. By creating local alliances of service providers, businesses, faith-based organizations, and volunteers, they mobilize community resources to wrap around families. This collective impact approach ensures families have a comprehensive and sustainable support network, addressing all crisis areas and preventing children from entering foster care.
A Single Mom Finds Hope Through Community Support
Two years ago, solo mother Mariah found herself trapped in crisis. Something vital was always missing: a job, childcare, or reliable transportation.
“It was always one of the three that occurred, and this pattern happened for five years,” Mariah says. “Without being able to maintain a job, I was not able to provide food on the table or take care of my three babies.”
As a single mom of three, Mariah felt overwhelmed and isolated. She never knew where her next meal would come from. The instability wore heavily on her, not just financially, but emotionally and mentally as well. If the crisis continued, she risked her children’s removal from the home. She didn’t know where to turn for help.
“I didn’t know what was going to happen the next day, and I wasn’t mentally prepared for [it],” Mariah remembers. “I was really depressed and suicidal and felt like I was alone.”
The Power of Local Services Working Together
Her turning point began with a simple act of faith. Mariah chose to visit First Baptist Church in Van Buren, Arkansas. There she met Pastor Chris, who prayed for her and delivered a food box. That moment sparked something deeper within Mariah.
“I told God that I was tired. I didn’t want to live this way anymore. So, I prayed to God that I would give him my life.”
Through the same church, Mariah met Karen Phillips of Restore Hope, who introduced her to a family advocate named Trudy in the 100 Families Initiative. Through the 100 Families network of nonprofits and agencies, Trudy connected Mariah to employment services, childcare assistance, transportation vouchers, and emotional support. She moved into a stable home and began to rebuild her life. By coordinating existing community resources around Mariah, 100 Families gave her the confidence and stability she needed to care for her children. It also helped prevent foster care for her children.
“Just being a mom, knowing that I am not alone, is really great,” she says. “My kids, they have noticed that I’m not as sad as much. I’m not as depressed as much. I’m not as stressed as much.”
Through her Bible study and new community, she found friendship, faith, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Because of your support, families like Mariah’s get the help they need to move from crisis to career and prevent foster care. What could’ve been a story of separation instead became a story of hope and resilience. Help us reach more children and families by making a donation today.
