A Proven Plan: Launching Family Advocacy Ministries
West Virginia has the highest per capita rate of children in foster care in the nation. Thousands are impacted each year, and many churches see the crisis but feel paralyzed, unsure of how to begin.
That is where The Village comes in. We bring experience and a clear framework refined across thousands of churches in over 30 states.
Family Advocacy Ministry
This framework is called a Family Advocacy Ministry (FAM). A FAM is a church-owned ministry that mobilizes the congregation to support foster, adoptive, kinship, and vulnerable families with practical, emotional, and spiritual care.
Dozens of West Virginia churches already use this model to serve families in their communities. With training, resources, and ongoing support from The Village, churches are equipped to make lasting impact in ways that are both sustainable and personal.
Every FAM reflects the personality and passions of its congregation. No two look the same, but all share a common goal: surrounding vulnerable families with consistent, Christ-centered care.
Real Churches Having Real Impact
FAMs include a wide variety of activities that serve foster, adoptive, kinship, and vulnerable families, as well as the child welfare professionals who support them. Each FAM looks different, but all provide opportunities for churches to step in with meaningful, practical help. Two of the most impactful FAM activities are Care Communities and CarePortal.
Building Care Communities to Support Families
Care Communities are teams of volunteers who wrap around foster, adoptive, and kinship families with meals, transportation, childcare, tutoring, mentoring, and prayer. This ongoing support lightens the load and helps families continue their calling with strength and stability. Research shows that 50% of typical foster families quit fostering within one year. However, 90% families supported by Care Communities continue fostering into a second year.
Meeting Needs Using CarePortal
CarePortal is an online platform that connects churches with real-time needs identified by child welfare workers. By meeting urgent requests such as beds, groceries, or rent, churches can help stabilize families and prevent children from unnecessarily entering foster care.
Other FAM activities may include parent support groups, family events, or acts of encouragement for child welfare professionals. Each church chooses the activities that best align with its gifts, passions, and capacity.
* CarePortal’s reach in West Virginia is presently limited to certain regions.
Family Advocacy Ministry: Turn Compassion Into Action
FAMs are more than a program… they are the Church stepping into its biblical calling to care for the most vulnerable. They give churches a clear first step, strengthen families so they do not burn out, and prevent children from unnecessarily entering care. Every church can do something, because FAM activities are shaped by its unique identity and gifts.Together, West Virginia churches can rise to meet this crisis. With Family Advocacy Ministries, compassion turns into action, families are supported, and children experience the hope of Christ in their daily lives.
About Us
Chestnut Mountain Village (‘The Village’), a ministry of Chestnut Mountain Ranch, is dedicated to creating Christ-centered communities to provide hope and homes for vulnerable kids and families. To do this, the Village guides and equips church partners to care for vulnerable children and families by providing a proven, step-by-step ministry model …