What should I do if I have a heart for the foster care community, but I can’t open my home to foster right now?
We hear this question often. Sometimes it comes from individuals who have fostered before and are simply in a season where they need to pause. Other times we hear it from people who don’t feel called to foster, but still have a deep passion to support vulnerable children and families. No matter which group you fall into, there are so many meaningful roles you can step into to make a difference.
Today, we want to highlight one such role—and a foster parent who stepped into this role when her home was at capacity.
We’re honored to introduce you to one of our TFI Advocates, Hanna Thrower. Hanna is a dedicated TFI Advocate serving Butler County, Alabama. Her heart for foster care began at a young age, and since then Hanna and her husband, Caleb, have fostered over 20 children, welcomed one adopted child into their family, and are raising three biological children.
In this episode, Hanna shares about her foster care journey, how she got started as an Advocate and earned the trust of her local agency, advice she would give someone considering the role of a TFI Advocate, and much more.
- Connect with Hanna on her TFI Advocate Page
- Apply to Become a TFI Advocate
- Give to The Forgotten Initiative
- Foster Care & the Church
TAKEAWAYS FROM TODAY’S CONVERSATION:
1. Advocacy can fit into a busy schedule.
Are you wondering if you have time to become a TFI Advocate? We would be happy to chat with you to answer your questions and help you find clarity! A day in the life of a TFI Advocate will vary depending on the unique needs of their community. However, we’ve observed that an Advocate’s work typically averages around 5 hours each week, distributed between relationship-building, ministry planning, and administrative organization. Before stepping into this role, Hanna found another TFI Advocate who was able to answer her questions and show her how she could make a difference without it being overwhelming.
“She helped me understand how advocacy could fit into the life I was already living.”
2. You can make a significant impact as an Advocate.
We know that children in foster care who are assigned to just one caseworker have about a 74% chance of permanent placement. But every time they are transitioned to a new caseworker, their chance of finding permanency decreases. We believe well-supported caseworkers will more effectively serve children, leading to better outcomes for everyone. The job of an Advocate is to connect local agencies and caseworkers with churches so that they are seen, known, and cared for. The mission of this role is to ensure that caseworkers receive consistent personalized support, appreciation, and resources to help their clients in crisis.
“The social workers often experience the trauma alongside the children. And so they need encouragement as well. I felt a responsibility to let them know how much their job is needed.”
3. People are ready to serve, they just don’t know how.
TFI Advocates help bridge the gap between individuals and churches who are willing to serve the foster care community and agency workers who need encouragement and additional support as they step into the lives of others. There are so many caring people in your community who want to help, but just don’t know the most effective way to do so. This is where a TFI Advocate steps in to build relationships with agency workers and churches so we can connect real needs with available resources.
“I found so many loving individuals and churches that were ready and willing to help, and TFI helped me understand how to connect the church to the needs that had been identified.”
Meet Our Guest
Hanna Thrower is a dedicated TFI Advocate serving Butler County, Alabama. Her heart for foster care began at a young age, and since then Hanna and her husband, Caleb, have fostered over 20 children, welcomed one adopted child, and are raising three biological children. When their home reached capacity, Hanna still wanted to serve the foster care community, and that’s when she stepped into advocacy. She became a trusted guide between agency workers and the local church.
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