When Children Are Suffering
Be the Church Known for Caring
Guidance and resources to help churches care for foster, adoptive, and vulnerable children and families.
Not everyone will open their home to children in foster care, but everyone can do something. You and your church can do something meaningful to help struggling children and families in your community.
Local churches and their people care and believe they should help, reflecting God’s love and compassion for the vulnerable; however, many hesitate to get involved due to uncertainty about what to do, where to start, and how to provide meaningful and sustainable support for these children and their families.
Chestnut Mountain Village provides guidance and tools that make it easy for you and your church to effectively care for vulnerable children and families in your community.
Start Discovering Your Something Today.
Chestnut Mountain Village (‘The Village’), a ministry of Chestnut Mountain Ranch, guides and equips churches to care for vulnerable children and families using a proven, step-by-step method. The Village believes that there should be clear, manageable, and proven ways for your church to effectively care for kids and families in your communities.
“Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.” –James 1:27
WHEN CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING:
West Virginia has the highest number of children in the foster care system per capita. For every 1,000 babies born in West Virginia, 24.6 are removed due to maltreatment. This is more than three times the national average of seven per 1,000.
Over 60% of children in foster care are removed due to neglect. In West Virginia, it is estimated that 85% of child cases involve drug use. Over 60% of children in foster care will experience seven or more school changes.
Advocates consistently report that there is an insufficient number of foster families to care for these children. 80% of families who foster stop fostering within two years. Without support and care, the future for these children can be bleak.
THE VILLAGE PLAN BENEFITS:
Organized for Action
Organized, volunteer-led opportunities to support foster care and adoption in your community.
Hope for Children
Children and families are served and experience the love of Christ through the local church and community partners
Growing in Christ
A proven, step-by-step framework for spiritual and discipleship growth.
Join the Movement
Guiding and equipping churches to care for vulnerable children and families using a proven, step-by-step method.
VILLAGE NEWS & UPDATES
Resources for Stronger Foster Care Collaboration Bonus Resource: If you came here from our newsletter, we’ve added one more foster care collaboration resource below: a conversation about why meaningful work for children and families is too big for any one person, church, or organization to do alone. Our mission at The Village is to guide,…
Showing Up for Those Who Show Up Every Day Building communities that show up means caring for vulnerable children and families. It also means finding practical ways to support child welfare professionals who serve them every day. “We See You” is part of Care for Caseworkers, a national effort coordinated by Promise686 to encourage and…
“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families…” Psalm 68:5–6 (NIV) In one West Virginia county, a young man had been in and out of foster care for much of his life. His experience highlights the importance of strong support for young adults aging…
by Melissa Cargill, Village Community Coordinator Summer is a beautiful season! It’s a time of sunshine, fruitfulness, and abundant life. I’m always grateful to see the flowers in bloom and trees with full green leaves. In late summer, we enjoy fruits and vegetables that were planted much earlier. It’s easy to forget that, not long ago,…
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV) This spring, more than 200 people gathered…
Contributed by Teresa, a FAM Volunteer.I signed up as a volunteer for the Family Advocacy Ministry (FAM) at my church almost two years ago because I was looking for something to help me heal from the loss of my son. I started by providing a meal for one foster family, and then another, and even…
Village Resource Center
Visit our Resource Center for articles, posts, and videos to help guide you through supporting children and families who are active in foster, adoption, and kinship care.
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 …