All In Foster Care Summit

The 3rd annual All In Foster Care Summit, themed “Finding Beauty in Brokenness,” is set to take place at Trinity Assembly of God Church in Fairmont, West Virginia, on May 3, 2024. With a focus on unity, collaboration, and faith-based solutions, this summit aims to address the pressing need for innovative approaches to child welfare in West Virginia. Bringing together church leaders, child welfare professionals, foster families, and passionate individuals, the Summit seeks to harness the power of cooperation and creativity in overcoming the challenges faced by vulnerable children and families.

Distinguished speakers such as:

• Missouri Director of Children’s Services, Darrell Missey;
• Author, Speaker, and Founder of Every Child Oregon, Jilllana Goble;
• Foster Care Alumni and TBRI Practitioner, Trent Taylor; and
• Resolutions Counseling Founder, Chris Campbell

will share valuable insights and best practices for community collaboration and for supporting vulnerable children and families throughout their care journeys. Attendees will participate in discussions covering the role of faith communities in fostering restoration and practical strategies for community involvement in foster care initiatives.

Networking opportunities will abound, encouraging attendees to exchange ideas, forge connections, and collaborate on innovative solutions to enhance the well-being of children in foster care.

Check in for the Summit will begin at 8 AM on Friday, May 3 and the Summit sessions will run from 9 AM to 4:30 PM.

For more information on the Summit, click REGISTER NOW!!!!

Foster care is hard, tragic, and wonderful. It is messy but beautiful. Foster parent, adoptive mom, and Bible Center Church Outreach Director, Michelle Thompson, speaks candidly and personally about foster care as part of a panel at the 2022 West Virginia All In Foster Care Summit.

The 2022 All In Foster Care Summit was held at Chestnut Ridge Chruch in Morgantown, West Virginia on May 17, 2022. This excerpt was part of a panel titled “A Mountain State Discussion: Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Care Across West Virginia.”

Michelle Thompson has served on the staff at Bible Center Church in Charleston, WV since 2002. At Bible Center, she oversees both local and global outreach through such programs as Adoption and Foster Care Ministries, homeless outreach, Thomas Baby Steps Hospitality Room, The Makers’ Center, May We Serve, and others. Michelle has a Bachelor’s degree in Theology and Christian Education from Andersonville Theological Seminary and a Master of Arts degree in Christian Counseling & Psychology from Southwest Bible College and Seminary. Michelle is passionate about Jesus and the difference a relationship with Him makes in people’s lives. She also enjoys All-Things-Leadership and the study of personalities. She and her husband, Richard, have seven children and three grandchildren.

Register Now for 2023 All In Foster Care Summit

International foster care expert, consultant, author, and TED Talk speaker, Dr. John DeGarmo, offers a special invitation to the All In Foster Care Summit being held on May 3, 2023 in Hurricane, West Virginia at River Ridge Church Teays Valley.

Dr. DeGarmo is the author of multiple books including Faith and Foster Care and The Church and Foster Care; a foster parent of over 60 children through the years; and serves as the director of The Foster Care Institute. He will be speaking on “The Church, Faith, and Foster Care” and is part of a lineup of national and state experts joining the Summit.

The All In Foster Care Summit is a transformative event aimed at improving the state of foster care in West Virginia. With West Virginia having the highest rate of children in foster care in the nation, the system is struggling to keep up. However, with the collaboration of families, churches, and community partners, we can all make a tremendous impact on solving the problems.

The Summit, to be held on May 3, 2023, at River Ridge Church Teays Valley in Hurricane, WV, is a platform for like-minded individuals, church leaders, members of foster/kinship care organizations, and anyone interested in reforming foster care to come together and make a positive change in the lives of God’s most vulnerable children and families. The Summit will feature national and state child welfare experts, including, in addition to Dr. DeGarmo, Jason Weber, National Director of Foster Care Initiatives at the Christian Alliance for Orphans; and Lynn Johnson, President and Founder of ALL IN Fostering Futures and the former Assistant Secretary for The U.S. Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families.

At the Summit, attendees will learn about the current state of foster care in West Virginia and how they can work together to create a brighter future for the children and families who need support and resources. The event is free to attend and registration is now open. So, come join us and be a part of transforming foster care in West Virginia!

The All In Foster Care Summit is a Chestnut Mountain Village event.