About
Children need more than a system; they need a village.
Foster parents often feel tired and alone. Most families foster for less than a year, citing burnout and lack of support as the reason they stop. At the same time, 85 percent of people who are not foster parents say they care about vulnerable children and want to help.
Foster Village Waco bridges this gap between foster families and caregivers and those who want to help, meeting practical needs and providing holistic support beyond the system.
We help do this through three main programs:
Equipping Caregivers With Support
When a child is placed with a family, they often arrive with just the clothes on their back. Through Foster Village Waco's Welcome Pack Program, families and children can get clothing, new beds and infant gear, toiletries and other basic necessities – completely free. Foster Village Waco's Resource Center will be opening in 2023, providing a trauma-informed and developmentally appropriate home-like environment for children and families to gather resources.
Connecting Families to Each Other
Foster families are often navigating a complex system and challenges that are unique to caring for children who have experienced abuse, neglect, and family separation. They need to know they are not alone and need encouragement from others on the same journey they are on. By connecting foster families with other foster families, biological families and trusted resources, families are strengthened and empowered to continue fostering.
Advocating for Change in the System
Foster Village Waco brings dignity to the children and families we serve, understanding the root causes of why a child ends up in the foster care system, facilitating relationships between foster families and biological families and creating a community of support in McLennan County.
As we care for the caregivers, foster families are sustained and generations of vulnerable children and families are empowered to overcome adversity.
“Foster Village goes above and beyond in their support to foster families, kinship families, and reunifying families! After welcoming a placement of three kids into our home in the middle of the night, Foster Village was on our doorstep the next day with clothes, car seats, backpacks, toys, and support! Time and time again, they helped meet the basic needs of kids in our home and provided support to us as caregivers. It takes a village to care for our communities most vulnerable children and Foster Village is on the front lines doing so! My family and I are forever marked by the support that Foster Village has given us as they continue to equip, connect, and advocate families and children!” - Tabatha
Our Story
Foster Village Waco was founded in 2018 by foster parents who understand first-hand the needs of foster families and the importance of having a village of support while in the trenches of foster care. Our hope is to come alongside these families and show them that they are not alone. Our goal is to create opportunities for the community to be a "village" of support to these vulnerable and under-served families and children. Foster Village Waco works to create practical opportunities to bridge the gap so that individuals and businesses in the community can be a part of a dense net of support for families in our community.
Foster Village Waco is made possible through community support and involvement. Through monetary donations, physical donations, and volunteering we have the ability to be a village of encouragement to the thousands of Central Texas children who need to know that they are seen and valued.
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