The Advocate Role in Action: Statistics You Need to See

The TFI Advocate role is at the heart of The Forgotten Initiative, and was born from a simple truth: Our nation’s foster care community – workers, parents, foster parents, and children – need support.

In the midst of a broken system, we want to turn our attention to people.

People who feel worn down.
People who are vulnerable.
People who feel forgotten.

Jesus saw people and went out of his way to be with the hurting and vulnerable. Jesus calls us to this kind of sacrificial and mercy-fueled love by his example. For a child experiencing foster care, every changed placement, new home, and re-entry into care brings a negative ripple effect on children, re-traumatization with every loss.

At the same time and in the same communities, churches are filled with an abundance of resources, support, and, most importantly, hope in Jesus to offer. They have the desire to know their neighbors in foster care but have no idea where to begin or have been met with resistance from the agency if they’ve tried at all.

READ MORE: What is a TFI Advocate?

We see a future where the Church models Jesus by walking humbly, listening intentionally to understand, serving sacrificially, and speaking truthfully in love.

We see a world where communities, once marked by crisis and brokenness, become marked instead by restoration and redemption because the Church loved the foster care community like Jesus.

We see a world where the agency has an advocate working to help the community step into caring for the vulnerable, and the church has a guide to navigate the complexity of foster care so they can truly help, instead of placing more burden on the system. One whose sole purpose was to bridge this gap by bringing these two groups together in a gospel-centered, trusted relationship.

But what does this role look like in action? What kind of an impact do our Advocates really make? Take a look at some statistics from the past year that help quantify the opportunities our Advocates have held collectively:

(Don’t forget: applications to become a TFI Advocate are open through the end of February! Get the details and apply here.)

Connecting the Church with the Agency in 26 States

Right now, we have 50 TFI Advocates serving in 26 of the 50 states.

Did you know that there are over 400,000 children in foster care across our nation? Each state has its own unique challenges, but you can imagine how a number as large as that represents the significant needs that exist in communities across our nation when it comes to managing needs for agencies, vulnerable families, foster families, and children in care.

Each of these locations represents churches engaged, relationships built throughout the foster care community, and practical needs supported. Where the church is living out her call to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the foster care community. Not perfectly, but walking humbly, seeking to listen and learn from the agency.

As we look across a map of the United States, we are thrilled to see the growing locations with an Advocate ministry, and we can’t wait to see every state filled in!

Walked Alongside 2,795 Agency Workers

A major part of the role of a TFI Advocate is to connect with agencies and agency workers to understand the unique challenges and needs in their area. When we go in and try to serve how we want to, without listening to the agency, we miss the mark of true gospel service.

Agency workers directly interact with foster parents, vulnerable adults, and children in foster care and understand the real felt needs in the community. Navigating each unique case brings challenges, including long, emotionally draining hours, never-ending paperwork, and limited resources. Agencies need encouragement and additional support as they step into the lives of others.⁠

In 2023 alone, our TFI Advocates walked alongside 82 agencies and 2,795 agency workers, who advocated for a collective 14,008 children and their families. This matters deeply because when we are able to care for agencies and agency workers, this trickles down to the children and families they care for.

Engaged 176 Churches

In 2023, our TFI Advocates engaged 176 churches at least once during the year and partnered with 101 churches on an ongoing basis throughout the year!

We know that church leaders strive to help their church tangibly share the love of Jesus but often struggle to know how to help or where to start when it comes to the foster care community. Churches need someone to help them engage. That’s where our TFI Advocates come in.

Advocates work each week to connect the church to the physical, relational, and spiritual needs of the foster care community as identified by or with the support of agencies and agency workers.

We are so encouraged as we look back and see what God is doing through the faithful service of each TFI Advocate. Every number shared here represents a person engaged with the incredible love of Christ and a lasting difference made on a local level. We are seeing the foster care community experiencing the love of Jesus through the Church.

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things.

To him be the glory forever! Amen.” Romans 11:33-36

If you want to see more people involved in supporting the foster care community in your area, we encourage you to apply to become a TFI Advocate. Applications open up just three times per year, and they are currently open until the end of February 2024!