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Last month, we shared about the next phase of our Foster Village Affiliate Program and we're already seeing the benefits of this much-needed expansion. Our new locations are launching and growing faster and with more robust training, allowing them to serve children and families in their communities in the most impactful and efficient ways.

We know that if we are truly going to break generational cycles and transform the system, it’s going to take a village of villages – people with a heart for vulnerable children, a passion to take action, and a finger on the pulse of the local community dynamics and needs.

We have learned so much through the process of building Foster Village Austin, from what programs truly make a difference for children and families to how to effectively operate a resource center and the nitty gritty of running a nonprofit.

Through the Affiliate Program and our recently launched e-learning platform, we are thrilled to be able to walk with the affiliates in our Foster Village family and share this knowledge with them, so they can avoid the guesswork and launch truly effective organizations that reach more kids and families, meet more needs, and break more cycles.

And thanks to the generosity of this community, we are currently able to offer the training to our affiliates without a large up front cost and just a small annual membership fee to cover shared expenses.

This is what your support and the new Foster Village Affiliate Program has allowed us to do:

• Launch and support 11 Foster Village affiliates to date
• Train 3 more affiliates in 2022, with anticipated launches over the coming months
• Serve over 15,000 children and their families nationwide since 2016 

And we’re just getting started! There are still so many vulnerable children and families in communities around the country waiting for the hope that a village of love and support can bring.

Families like Austin’s, who have been able to receive the support they need to continue fostering:

“As a foster parent, I cannot emphasize enough how critical the work of Foster Village is to the child welfare community.

The holistic support that they provide to all involved (foster parents, bio parents, kinship caregivers, and the kids at the center of everything) provides the connection and support necessary for these families to continue fighting the good fight.”

Or K, who we helped reunite with her kids after leaving an abusive relationship:

“After escaping from an abusive relationship, I needed a lot of help to get back on my feet and start a new path for me and my kids. Foster Village has been such a Godsend in helping us and teaching me how capable I am to be the mom my kids deserve.”

Thanks to you, the village is wider, stronger, and better positioned to serve more vulnerable children and families than we have ever been.

Thank you for continuing to be the village for families like Austin’s and K’s and helping us break cycles for years to come…not just in Texas, but nationwide.

With hope and gratitude,
Chrystal Smith