Adopt a Foster Family: Join a HOPE Community

 

Become the Extended Family a Foster Family Needs

Foster parents are everyday heroes who open their hearts and homes to children from hard places. But they can't do it alone. When you join a HOPE Community, you become part of a dedicated team that wraps around one foster family—providing meals, childcare, and practical support that makes fostering sustainable.

This isn't occasional volunteering. This is becoming family.

Volunteer Inquiry

  • A HOPE Community is a small team of 6-8 volunteers who commit to supporting one specific foster family for at least one year or one placement.

    Think of it as adopting a foster family: You walk alongside them through the joys and challenges of fostering, taking daily stressors off their plate so they can focus on loving the children in their care.

    Why HOPE Communities Work:

    ✅ Consistency - Same volunteers, same family, long-term relationship
    ✅ Coordination - One Team Leader manages scheduling so the family isn't overwhelmed
    ✅ Tangible Impact - Your help is specific, needed, and immediately felt
    ✅ Community - You're not alone—you serve as part of a team
    ✅ Sustainability - Regular support helps families say "yes" to fostering long-term

  • When you join a HOPE Community, you commit to:

    • Duration: 1 year OR 1 placement (whichever comes first)

    • Consistency: Showing up for your assigned role regularly

    • Communication: Responding to your Team Leader within 24 hours

    • Confidentiality: Respecting the privacy of foster children and their cases

    • Flexibility: Being willing to help beyond your role when possible

    This isn't a casual volunteer opportunity—it's a commitment to become extended family. But for the right person, it's one of the most rewarding ways to serve.

  • All HOPE Community volunteers must:
    ✅ Complete 1HOPE background check
    ✅ Sign confidentiality acknowledgements
    ✅ Respect child safety and privacy at all times

    Additional requirements for childcare providers:
    ✅ CPR certification
    ✅ Complete 1HOPE childcare approval process

    Additional requirements for transporters:
    ✅ Childcare approval
    ✅ Car seat safety check

    We always put children's safety and privacy first. All positions have specific requirements that must be met before you can interact with children or foster families.

  • Every HOPE Community needs volunteers in different roles. Find the one that fits your schedule and skills:

    👥 Team Leader

    Commitment: 1-2 hours per week
    What You Do:

    • Be the main point of contact for the foster family

    • Coordinate meal schedules and childcare with other volunteers

    • Check in with the family weekly to assess needs

    • Communicate updates and prayer requests to the team

    Perfect for: Organized people who love connecting others and managing logistics

    🍽️ Meal Provider

    Commitment: 1 meal per month (goal: family receives 1 meal/week)
    What You Do:

    • Provide a home-cooked, purchased, or delivered meal on your assigned day each month

    • Text the family the day before to confirm delivery time

    • Accommodate dietary restrictions and preferences

    Perfect for: People who show love through food and want flexible volunteer hours

    👶 Childcare Provider

    Commitment: 4 hours, 1-2 times per month
    What You Do:

    • Provide babysitting so foster parents can have date nights, run errands, or simply rest

    • Care for children in the foster family's home (or yours, if arranged)

    • Offer additional last-minute help when possible

    Perfect for: People who love kids and want hands-on impact

    Requirements: Background check, acknowledgements, CPR certification

    🚗 Transporter

    Commitment: As needed
    What You Do:

    • Drive foster children to family visits, appointments, or activities

    • Provide a listening ear and stable presence during transitions

    Perfect for: Drivers with flexible schedules who want to make a big difference in small moments

    Requirements: Background check, childcare approval, car seat safety check

    🛠️ Other Support Roles

    Commitment: Flexible, as needed
    What You Might Do:

    • Tutoring or homework help

    • Yard maintenance or home repairs

    • Grocery shopping or errands

    • Laundry or housecleaning

    • Any other practical needs that arise

    Perfect for: People with specialized skills or flexible availability

 

What Foster Families Are Saying

"When you join a HOPE Community, you are not just volunteering—you are committing to a ministry of support for a foster family. You will build relationships with that family and the other volunteers and be a steady support as they minister to a child in need."

"After getting licensed with 1HOPE for Kids, we felt like we were given a pretty clear picture of how busy and crazy fostering would be. And then we got our first placement and we REALLY learned. Since then we have come to really treasure our HOPE Community—it makes it more feasible for us to consider doing this long term."

"Having people bring meals every week is such a blessing. It's one less thing to think about on hard days, and it reminds us we're not alone in this."

How to Join a HOPE Community

Step 1: Submit Your Interest

Fill out our volunteer inquiry form to let us know you're interested in joining a HOPE Community. Tell us which role(s) interest you most.

Learn more

Step 2: Complete Requirements

We'll guide you through the background check process and any role-specific requirements (like CPR certification for childcare providers).

Step 3: Get Matched

Once approved, we'll match you with a HOPE Community team and introduce you to your foster family and Team Leader.

Step 4: Start Serving

Your Team Leader will coordinate your schedule and communicate the family's needs. Show up, serve well, and watch the impact unfold.

HOPE Communities are a ministry of 1HOPE for Kids, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving foster families across Central Texas.

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