This unique event will be held on May 3, 2023, at River Ridge Church Teays Valley.
Chestnut Mountain Village’s 2nd annual “All In Foster Care Summit” is being held at River Ridge Church Teays Valley in Hurricane, West Virginia. The May 3, 2023 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 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:
Jason Weber, National Director of Foster Care Initiatives at the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) and author of the book More than Enough: Transforming Foster Care Where You Live.
Dr. John DeGarmo, Director, The Foster Care Institute and author of the books Faith and Foster Care and The Church and Foster Care.
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.
Multiple former foster youths, each with lived experience in the foster care system, who now advocate for positive change in the foster system throughout the U.S.
Attendees at the Summit will:
Learn about the growing, national faith-based foster care movement;
Hear from West Virginia church leaders about how their churches are impacting foster care in their communities in tangible, practical, and manageable ways;
Explore the important role that the local church and faith play in caring for vulnerable children and families;
Understand how churches, non-profit organizations, businesses, government, and community leaders can work together to change foster care where you live.
Check-in for the Summit will begin at 8 AM on Wednesday, May 3 and the Summit sessions will run from 9 AM to 4:30 PM. For more information on the Summit.