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“Welcome Home!” is the Family Advocacy Ministry (FAM for short) at South Charleston First Church of the Nazarene. Team members serving in this ministry become part of a care community, seeking to support children and families. You’re invited to join the team and serve alongside us!

WHAT ARE CARE COMMUNITIES?

Care Communities are volunteer led and provide a strong support system for foster & adoptive families, and biological families in crisis.Caring for vulnerable children requires a big investment and parents need the support of local community. Care Communities create the opportunity to serve at-risk kids and their families in practical, hands-on ways. By supporting foster and adoptive families, we can provide a healthier context for a child’s transition into their new home. When supporting biological families in crisis, we help prevent children from entering the foster care system.

WAYS TEAM MEMBERS OFFER SUPPORT

FAMILY HELPER: You will serve in ways that will help your supported family. You may be one of the four families that will supply a monthly meal. However, this role is not limited to just meal-making. Perhaps you’ll be able to help with errands, extra housework, laundry, providing clothing, yard work, homework, or even childcare for the biological or previously adopted children in the family.

CHILD MENTOR: This role can allow you to be more involved in the life of a vulnerable child, offering a great opportunity to pour love and encouragement into them. We ask Child Mentors to commit to providing childcare at least twice per month. Childcare is the area where our parents need the most support and tend to receive the least. They are hesitant to ask for childcare beyond necessary appointments, fearing they are inconveniencing you.

TEAM LEADER: This role allows you to get to know the supported family more closely, usually the mother. Generally, tasks will require a time investment of less than an hour per week, however, a consistency is required when serving in this role. You’ll make a quick weekly phone call to the supported family and note their childcare needs and prayer requests. You’ll then update the online calendar, if needed, and also send a weekly group email to the team.

INTERIM CAREGIVER: Interim Caregivers serve as overnight caregivers in their home or in the supported family’s home from as little as one night up to two weeks, in accordance with the approval policy of the family’s agency. Additional background checks may be required. Respite families also fall under this category of assistance. This role is often fulfilled once volunteers become more familiar with the supported family and trust is built.