REGIONAL ALLIANCES
Across the U.S., churches are coming together to form Regional Alliances in support of adoption, foster care and/or global orphan initiatives. These Regional Alliances interlink local churches and help them collaborate, share resources, and support each other’s work. As affiliates of the Christian Alliance for Orphans, Regional Alliances are also part of national efforts to inspire and equip the local church for effective, Gospel-centered ministry.
MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
The simple steps to membership include:
1) At least 5 local churches actively and knowingly participating in the regional alliance efforts. (Submit with application)
2) A formalized leadership structure within the regional alliance acting as the key contact between affiliated churches and CAFO leadership.
3) Completed online membership application
4) Signed membership agreement (download here)
5) Signed statement of faith (download here)
CAFO Regional Alliance Members
Search below to find an existing CAFO Regional Alliance member in your area:
Arizona
PHOENIX-METRO AREA
Arizona 1.27
az127.org
Arizona 1.27 is a church-based movement aimed at engaging the local church in the Arizona child welfare system. Arizona 1.27 was born out of a response to the current foster care crisis but is built to be a long-term solution for our state’s most vulnerable children and their families.
Our approach is to train local churches on how to best recruit and care for the members of their church engaged in the ministry of foster care and adoption. We utilize best practices in training churches so that they can care for their families with excellence and through support teams offer every member of that congregation a means of caring for the foster or adoptive child. We also ask church members of participating congregations to go through some additional steps to ensure that they are more fully prepared to receive a child into their home and have the best chance at having a successful placement.
California
CENTRAL VALLEY, CA
Central Valley Christian Alliance for Orphans
The Central Valley Christian Alliance for Orphans exists to glorify God through uniting churches and orphan advocates in the Central Valley of California to collectively care for orphans locally and globally.
The purpose of the meetings are to build connections and create unity between church leaders, foster/adoptive parents, and community members that are passionate about caring for vulnerable children locally and globally; coordinate and collaborate on events that serve adoptive & foster families, help recruit new foster & adoptive families and advocate for the needs of orphans worldwide; share about resources of events related to orphan care, foster care and adoption in the central valley; and help inspire more churches to start orphan care ministries.
SACRAMENTO, CA
Defending the Cause Regional Alliance
defendingthecause.org
Defending the Cause Regional Alliance is a collaborative network of churches, agencies, non-profits, and professionals in the Greater Sacramento Area working together to protect kids and strengthen families.
We believe that all children deserve to grow up in a family that loves them and when we work together to promote unity, awareness, and equipping we will see transformation in our region. Defending the Cause empowers people to help kids through Prevention, Intervention, and Support ministries.
VENTURA, CA
Defending the Fatherless
defendingthefatherless.net
Defending the Fatherless encompasses ministries from churches throughout Ventura County as we serve as a gathering place to support and equip families all over the region, from Thousand Oaks to Ojai.
We desire to see orphan care expanded within the church body. We work with a coalition of churches, organizations and individuals within Ventura County to best meet the growing needs in our community. We believe that every church and believer has a unique role in supporting the fatherless within Ventura County.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
Foster the Bay
fosterthebay.org
Foster the Bay was born in 2015 when a Bay Area social worker approached a local Pastor and Foster Dad to consider launching a “faith alliance” to address an emergency crisis within the foster care system – more children were entering into foster care than there were families ready to care for them. The Bay Area church has responded, and as of March 2019, 63 churches have aligned together to raise up foster families and support friends until there are more enough families to meet the need.
Colorado
NORTHERN COLORADO
Northern Colorado Christian Alliance for Orphans
The Northern Colorado Christian Alliance for Orphans seeks to not only unite the body of Christ to advocate for orphans in our community and around the world, but to unite all of those who work in the cause of advocating for a child in need have a collective voice that impacts our community in a powerful way.
Our members and allies consist of pastors, ministry leaders, adoption agency directors and staff, state and county workers, independent organizations and ministries that advocate for the needs of children in our community and around the world. We meet the 3rd Thursday of every month at noon.
SOUTHERN COLORADO
Southern Colorado Christian Alliance for Orphans
The Southern Colorado CAFO is an alliance of churches, para-church and community organizations which work together to touch children “from hard places” locally and globally through foster and adoption.
Our approach is to raise awareness of the of the need of foster care opportunities, pray for the fatherless, while organizing wrap around church support systems for each family involved in serving vulnerable children.
Indiana
NORTHERN, WESTERN, EASTERN INDIANA
Hands of Hope
handsofhopein.org
Hands of Hope is a bridge organization connecting faith communities, businesses, and individuals with practical opportunities to impact children in foster care in conjunction with Department of Child Services (DCS), Licensed Child Placement Agencies (LCPA’s), and foster parents. You are invited join a movement of churches across Indiana serving as a unified Body of Christ to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children. Each church can use their unique gifts and calling to cover different aspects of the need and we can have a greater impact. The Hands of Hope Church Alliance unites & equips church advocates – either lay or staff – to uniquely and deeply love orphans & vulnerable children. There are powerful possibilities when we all work together!
SOUTHERN INDIANA
Orphan Care Alliance | orphancarealliance.org
The Orphan Care Alliance exists to equip Christian families through the engagement of the local Church to provide loving care and/or homes for the fatherless.
The Orphan Care Alliance is a Christian ministry serving the fatherless around the world. We are a multi-church alliance in the Louisville/Southern Indiana region impacting our local communities. Those who find our efforts in accordance with their beliefs are invited to contact us and join this Christ-centered ministry.
Kentucky
SOUTHERN INDIANA & KENTUCKY
Orphan Care Alliance | orphancarealliance.org
The Orphan Care Alliance exists to equip Christian families through the engagement of the local Church to provide loving care and/or homes for the fatherless.
The Orphan Care Alliance is a Christian ministry serving the fatherless around the world. We are a multi-church alliance in the Louisville/Southern Indiana region impacting our local communities. Those who find our efforts in accordance with their beliefs are invited to contact us and join this Christ-centered ministry.
New York
ERIE, NIAGRA, GENESEE
Every Child
every-child.com
The Every Child foster care, adoption and orphan care ministry is a collaborative effort of the church in WNY to care for every child in need within our reach – both locally and globally.
Every Child exists to clear the way for the full expression of the church in WNY to care for children in need, both locally and abroad, until every child in need within our reach has an opportunity to hear and see The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our goal is to break down barriers and make it easier for the church to fulfill this mandate. We want to see the church empty the foster care system in WNY – seeing children in need placed in Christian homes so they can hear and see the gospel of Christ.
Ohio
OHIO
Father’s Heart
FathersHeartOhio.com
Father’s Heart was started in 2018 by the Ohio Ministry Network to help Assembly of God churches in Ohio care for vulnerable children. Equipping them to:
1. Raise up awareness around the needs of vulnerable children.
2. Help prevent children from going into foster care by supporting biological families who are at-risk.
3. Recruit & resource foster and adoptive families.
4. Create a support system for those caring for at-risk children.
5. Support those who are aging out of the foster care system.
NORTHERN OHIO
MUCH OF OHIO & NORTHERN KENTUCKY
Coalition of Care
coalitionofcare.org
Founded in 2007 in Cincinnati by Larry Bergeron after local church leaders attended CAFO Summit. Experienced a renewed commitment in 2010 with new Executive Director Chris Combs, new Board of Directors, and 501c3 status. Now collaborating with churches across 3 major cities in Ohio (Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton) and across northern Kentucky. Our mission is “to inspire churches, to mobilize Christ-followers, to welcome children into families”. Mobilizing foster families, adoptive families, and Safe Families. Building prevention services on the front end (e.g. CarePortal) and support services on the back end of the journey.
NORTHERN OHIO
Fostering Family Ministries
http://www.fosteringfamilyministries.org
Beginning with a recruitment campaign in local churches in 2014, Fostering Family Ministries was founded as a 501c3 in 2016 to continue to support Ohio churches in developing foster care ministry. Our mission is to mobilize, organize, equip and educate local churches to compassionately provide faith based foster care services. These services include recruiting foster parents, provide care teams to support foster, kinship, adoptive and vulnerable birth families as well as a liaison between child placing agencies and families at the local and state level.
Churches commit to our statement of faith embodied in the Nicene Creed and are active in some level of foster care ministry, Hands (material needs/project), Heart (care teams serving), or Home (foster, kinship & adoptive families in the church) Churches have local church champions trained through FFM as they progress in their involvement in foster care ministry. This level of involvement is documented in a ministry partnership agreement. Often churches provide financial support to our ministry.
Our alliance of churches have collaborated to support foster/kinship/adoptive families in our area through outreach events, materials support and recruitment events. We have also strengthened relationships with child placing agencies. FFM consults with churches, Children’s Services as well as serves at the state level on advisory councils. One county, Ashland, has experienced a several fold increase in the number of foster families serving the county in the past 3 years after a contentious relationship with the local agency.
Pennsylvania
PENNSYLVANIA
Keystone Family Alliance
keyfam.org
Our mission is to ensure that every Christian in Pennsylvania is aware of the plight of orphans and vulnerable children locally and globally. We desire to motivate every believer in Pennsylvania to engage in their responsibility to care for orphans and vulnerable children and provide Biblically-based resources and material support to help create well-equipped homes for every orphan and vulnerable child in Pennsylvania.
North & South Carolina
NORTH & SOUTH CAROLINA
Carolina Christian Alliance for Orphans
The care of the fatherless is and always has been a community effort. No single ministry or agency has all the answers and certainly not all the resources necessary to solve the problems of fatherlessness in North and South Carolina, much less in the world. But together we can more effectively move toward solutions.
The Carolina Christian Alliance for Orphans exists to organize, promote, inform, and recruit individuals, ministries, and especially churches to the cause of caring for the “least of these” in our communities and around the world. We believe that it is both useful and possible to share ideas, resources, and methods without complete agreement on all points. We can maintain our distinctiveness and jointly pursue obedience to the biblical mandates to care for the fatherless.
CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA
CAFO of the Midlands
CAFOoftheMidlands
CAFO of the Midlands is a local movement of Christians from the Midlands collaborating on behalf of South Carolina children in foster care and orphans globally.
Tennessee
MIDDLE TENNESSEE
Middle Tennessee Orphan Alliance
mtoaforkids.org
The Middle Tennessee Orphan Alliance (MTOA) is an alliance of Christian church and community partners whose passionate mission is to share ideas and collaborate on activities to serve God’s children through adoption, foster care, and international orphan care. We are bonded together by a vision that together we can make a great difference in the lives of the world’s most vulnerable children.
The Middle Tennessee Orphan Alliance (MTOA) was formed to bring together local adoption, foster care and orphan care ministries and community partners. The alliance seeks to provide opportunities for area ministries to share ideas and collaborate on activities to serve God’s children through adoption, foster care and international orphan care. MTOA also welcomes new church ministries, equipping them with support and encouragement. Our mission is to bring glory to God by caring for His children. Locally, we desire to bring awareness to all churches in the Middle Tennessee area of the need for Christian families to care for and provide for every child within our reach. Globally, we desire to equip churches and ministries to help across the globe.
MTOA meets on the 4th Thursday of most months at 11:30AM. Please click below to be added to the mailing list for updates on the meeting location.
KNOX COUNTY & EAST TENNESSEE
Knox Area Foster Care & Adoption Ministries
kafcam.org
Knox Area Foster Care & Adoption Ministries (KAFCAM) is here to encourage, equip, and connect Christians to make the gospel visible through adoption and foster care rooted in the LOCAL church in the Knoxville, TN area. KAFCAM is an alliance of church and community foster care and adoption ministries to coordinate activities, share lessons learned, provide family support, and raise awareness of needs. KAFCAM was started in 2014 and is currently made up of 20 church members and 38 partner organizations.
Texas
SOUTH TEXAS REGION 8
South Texas Alliance for Orphans
alliance4orphans.org
We exist to support, equip and encourage churches in fulfilling the biblical orphan care mandate through their families.
We facilitate church structure, formation and development of foster and adoption ministries. We help with church wide informational meetings bringing in local ministries doing excellent work alo
ng the whole continuum of care from teen mom to aged out youth and including birth families. We try to help churches find their sweet spot and connect them with area resources. We also help foster and adopt families get connected to resources in their area such as support groups, christian counselors, doctors, dentist, CE training and resources. We want to be a hub where all players in the system can find information and get connected.
PERMIAN BASIN (MIDLAND & ODESSA) TEXAS
The Attic Church Alliance
theatticfn.org
The Attic Foster Network is a support network for foster parents, adoptive parents, parents in crisis for the Permian Basin.
With the mission to empower churches and their people to engage in the prevention, intervention, and emancipation of the local orphan, The Attic brought several churches together in a forum setting to begin to address the issues that face the local orphan. The churches are committed to creating a culture of orphan care within their body of believers and to area-wide endeavors to support local needs.
EAST TEXAS
The Fostering Collective
thefosteringcollective.org
The Fostering Collective exists to recruit and shepherd Christ-centered families in East Texas to help children in foster care.
We are considered a bridge ministry in East Texas with a primary focus on Smith County and adjacent counties. Our main focuses are on recruiting and shepherding Christ-centered families in East Texas to help children in foster care. We also hope to connect with local churches to help build a healthy foster community within our area.
Virginia
SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
127 Place
Our mission is to empower and support the Body of Christ to be an effective agency of change and transformation in the lives of vulnerable children. We do this through networking together, offering classes, bringing churches and individuals in on two global partnerships and bringing Safe Families to our area.
As churches around the valley began asking how they could start their own ministries, and as individuals from other churches wanted to attend our church ministry events, we felt called to start a regional alliance outside of our local church.
VIRGINIA
Entrusted Network
We started as a once a year adoption/foster conference at CrossRoads Church in Norfolk, Va and grew from there. In 2018, we became a network that reached out to various churches, families and agencies throughout the year to make sure people were being resourced on a more regular basis. The most noticeable thing we do is still our November conference though. We frequently see people from a multitude of churches come together to learn/grow for the weekend and we are intentional about having a different church host each year so that people really understand it’s for the whole community.
NORTHERN VIRGINIA
Project Belong: The Virginia 1:27 Network
The mission of Project Belong is to inspire, recruit, and resource churches and families in Virginia to foster and adopt, in order to spread the love of Christ to children in crisis. Project Belong was founded in early 2018 by a group of three churches in metro northern Virginia: McLean Presbyterian Church (McLean, VA), Emmanuel Presbyterian Church (Arlington, VA), and NewCity Church (Falls Church, VA). These three churches recognized that there is a great need for the Church to step into the Virginia orphan care crisis as the hands and feet of Christ. Currently, Project Belong operates under the umbrella of McLean Presbyterian Church. Project Belong will become an independent 501c3 at the end of 2021. In Project Belong’s first year of operation, our church network has expanded to include over 20 churches. Project Belong is part of the Project 1.27 network which is a network of organizations across the country that share the same mission of uniting churches to reverse the foster care crisis.
Washington
GREATER SEATTLE AREA
Foster Support Faith Alliance
FSFASeattle
The Foster Support Faith Alliance started as a program of Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission’s Church Engagement department in May 2015. The purpose of the Foster Support Faith Alliance is to build bridges between local churches wanting to engage the foster care system and the needs within the system. The FSFA does this by facilitating meetings between local churches, DSHS Children’s Administration representatives, and foster support agencies from within their local community.