When most people think about getting involved in foster care, they assume the only way is to become a foster parent. While fostering a child is certainly a major need, it’s not the only way you can help.

We are designed to live in community. We need one another. A church family helps one another, encourages one another, and spurs one another on to grow as Jesus followers. When a family fosters a child, they also need the support and help of those around them. A Care Community is a small group of individuals who commit to lift up a family who has taken in a child or children from the foster system. By creating or joining an existing Care Community, you are helping foster families do the work God has called them to do.

Here are four ways you can get involved in caring for others who are fostering:

Become a family helper: A family helper comes alongside a family who has children in their care. They may take meals, do housework or laundry, or offer clothing or household items that children need. Family helpers may also provide childcare for any biological children in the family while the parents are at medical appointments, legal meetings, or parental visitations with their children in foster care. Their role is to do whatever they can to meet a family’s needs!

Become a child mentor: A child mentor provides love and encouragement to a vulnerable child or teen. These mentors might help with homework, come up with fun activities, or just provide a safe space for a young person to express themselves. They can also provide childcare for foster children, giving parents time for a date night or the chance to run errands. They are invested in the success of vulnerable children and their families.

Become an interim caregiver: An interim caregiver provides overnight care for the supported family, allowing the parents to get some time away. This role requires additional training and background checks but can give some much-needed assistance and care to parents and families as they navigate the foster care system.

Become a team leader: Finally, the team leader helps to manage and organize both the needs of the supported family and the members of the Care Community. They stay in contact with the supported family, keeping a list of their needs and the opportunities that the Care Community can step in and serve. They maintain a calendar that ensures that the family’s needs are covered and the members of the Care Community have what they need to serve.

How can you serve? To learn more, take Send Relief’s course on “How to Get Involved in Foster Care.”