This Summit is more than another date on the calendar. Instead, it serves as a focused gathering that encourages clear action. At Chestnut Ridge Church in Morgantown, pastors and church teams will connect with child welfare professionals, foster alumni, foster, adoptive, and kinship families, and community leaders. Through that connection, participants will strengthen collaboration across our state.

West Virginia continues to report one of the highest per capita rates of children in foster care. While the need remains urgent, the opportunity for meaningful partnership is just as real. For that reason, the All In Foster Care Summit WV moves beyond awareness and into alignment.

Building the Way Together

This year’s theme, Building the Way Together, draws from the Biblical story of Nehemiah. When Jerusalem’s walls lay broken and the city stood exposed, the people did not stand at a distance. Instead, they organized. They took responsibility. Then they rebuilt with focus and persistence.

In the same way, West Virginia needs more than sympathy. Real change requires clear roles, coordinated effort, and people who remain committed when the work becomes difficult. Because of that reality, the Summit emphasizes teamwork rather than isolated effort.

Short bursts of energy will not solve complex challenges. Instead, sustained collaboration across churches, agencies, nonprofits, and families will strengthen support for children.

What You Can Expect

The 2026 All In Foster Care Summit WV will challenge and equip participants to take clear next steps.

Attendees will:

• See the realities facing children and families clearly, without minimizing complexity.
• Move beyond good intentions and learn how to serve as part of a coordinated team with shared responsibility.
• Strengthen collaboration between churches, child welfare agencies, and nonprofit partners.
• Learn how to provide practical, ongoing support for foster, adoptive, and kinship families.
• Leave with clear pathways for engagement in their local communities.

Throughout the day, participants will hear keynote presentations from the main stage, attend two breakout workshop sessions, and connect intentionally with others over lunch. In addition, speakers will share practical strategies and clear next steps that attendees can apply immediately in their own communities.

Featured Speakers

This year’s Summit includes respected national leaders in foster care and faith-based engagement:

• Andy Cook, CEO and President, Promise686
• Brian Mavis, Founder, America’s Kids Belong
• Jason Weber, Director, More Than Enough – Christian Alliance for Orphans

Alongside these national voices, leaders from across West Virginia will share insight grounded in experience. As a result, participants will gain both encouragement and direction.

Event Details

The All In Foster Care Summit WV brings churches, professionals, and families into stronger alignment across our state.

Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
(Coffee and connection begins at 8:15 AM)
Location: Chestnut Ridge Church, Morgantown, WV
Registration Fee: $25 per person (Lunch included)

Mission West Virginia anticipates offering continuing education credit for eligible sessions. Likewise, certified foster parents may receive CE certificates for qualifying content.

Who Should Attend?

• Pastors and church teams seeking clarity for their congregation’s next step.
• Church volunteers, members, attendees, and individuals who want to help address child welfare challenges in West Virginia.
• Child welfare professionals who desire stronger community partnership.
• Foster alumni who want to contribute to meaningful change.
• Foster, adoptive, and kinship families seeking sustainable support.
• Community leaders committed to practical solutions.

If you care about strengthening what protects children and families in West Virginia, this Summit is for you.

Register Now for the All In Foster Care Summit WV

Lasting change does not come from isolated effort. Rather, it grows through shared responsibility, organized collaboration, and sustained commitment.

On May 6, we will not simply discuss what is broken. Instead, we will focus on strengthening what protects children and families across our state.

Registration is now open. Secure your seat today:

Join us as we build the way forward together.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Premier statewide event offers continuing education for foster parents and social workers; unites faith, community, and child welfare leaders to support vulnerable children

Charleston, W.Va. — West Virginia’s premier foster care summit returns for its fourth year this spring. The 2025 All In Foster Care Summit will be held Wednesday, May 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at River Ridge Church in Charleston, bringing together child welfare professionals, church leaders, foster/adoptive families, and community advocates for a full day of equipping, educating, and engaging around foster care.

This year’s Summit theme, “A Shared Vision for Foster Care,” will focus on uniting churches, child welfare professionals, businesses, and community organizations in a collective effort to ensure that every child and family in West Virginia has the support they need to thrive.

“West Virginia has the highest per capita rate of children in foster care in the country,” said Greg Clutter, Director, Chestnut Mountain Village. “This Summit is a call to action—empowering everyday people, churches, and organizations to step into the story and provide real solutions for vulnerable children.”

The Summit will offer valuable continuing education for professionals and caregivers. Licensed social workers can earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs),and certified West Virginia foster parents will receive training certificatesfor sessions attended (Social Work CEUs sponsored by Mission West Virginia, Inc. provider #490129). These educational opportunities make the Summit an ideal event for those seeking both personal growth and professional development in the child welfare space.

Summit highlights include:

Dynamic Speakers:

• Brian Mavis, Founder of America’s Kids Belong
• Jamie Finn, Author and Founder of Foster the Family
• Jason Johnson, National Director at the Christian Alliance for Orphans

Breakout Sessions & Workshops offering hands-on strategies and spiritual insight:

• Envisioning and Designing Foster-Friendly West Virginia Communities
• A Practical Guide to Mobilizing Your Church for Foster Care
• Secondary Trauma & Biblical Self-Care

Collaborative Cohorts and Networking Opportunities for pastors, foster and adoptive parents, social workers, and community advocates.

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, May 7, 2025
• Time: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (Coffee & Connection begins at 8:15 AM)
• Location: River Ridge Church, Charleston, WV
• Registration Fee: $25 per person
• Registration Website: https://cmvwv.org/summit

Promotional videos for the summit are available at the links below:

• Be Part of the Change: 2025 All In Foster Care Summit

Greg Clutter, Director, Chestnut Mountain Village

• Everyone Can Help: Join the 2025 All In Foster Care Summit

Melissa Cargill, Community Coordinator, Chestnut Mountain Village

ABOUT CHESTNUT MOUNTAIN VILLAGE: Chestnut Mountain Village (“The Village”), a ministry of Chestnut Mountain Ranch, is dedicated to creating Christ-centered communities to provide hope and homes for West Virginia’s vulnerable kids and families. To do this, the Village guides and equips West Virginia churches to care for vulnerable children and families by providing a proven, step-by-step ministry model that amplifies the Gospel, provides opportunities for spiritual growth, and involves the entire church.

ABOUT CHESTNUT MOUNTAIN RANCH: Chestnut Mountain Ranch (“the Ranch”) is a Christ-centered home and school in Morgantown, West Virginia. The Ranch reaches the hearts of young men and restores broken families through a structured, loving community. Located just six miles south of Morgantown on 300 beautiful acres, the Ranch has a vision of restoring hope to children and families by providing a place for family restoration and a safe haven for boys and families in crisis.

For media and other inquires:

Greg Clutter
Director of Chestnut Mountain Village
greg@chestnutmountainranch.org

304 612 6265

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.