Listening well is the vital first step in developing good relationships with donors, churches, and partners. Today we talk with Michael Mitchell, CAFO’s Director of Development and Discipleship, about listening to the beautiful birds in our own backyards and the people doing incredible work in our communities. We talk about practical ways we can all practice and grow these skills and use them to help build strong connections to those around us.

Todd Tilghman may be most well known as the winner of the 18th Season of NBC's "The Voice", but at the 2022 CAFO Summit he sits down with Jason Weber and shares about his family of 10, his faith, and what music has meant to him along his journey.

What happens when we see the problems of foster care not just as potholes that someone else should take care of, but as opportunities to create something beautiful, in the exact place that needs it most? What if instead of pointing out potholes in foster care, we filled them?

Join us today and hear stories today about Christmas parties, pancakes, prayers, mentors, and meals that became so much more. We will hear from leaders and advocates who knew that first meeting the tangible needs of children and families was important, but also imagined that meeting a tangible need didn't have to be the end of the story. A bike, a bunk bed, a prayer can lead to families being cared for, and children being loved and cared for in families.

John Buultjens shares the powerful story of his journey from enduring childhood in an abusive home, to spending time in juvenile detention and foster care, to meeting and experiencing the love of his foster and adoptive parents, and to later finding purpose and joy in his passion for BMX riding. He also discusses the newly-released film, The Ride, and shares a preview of this inspirational movie based on the events of John’s own life.

In foster care we get the chance to partner with new people. Sometimes those people feel so different from us that we wonder how we can possibly work together, much less become friends.

Today’s episode takes us from talking about an unlikely friendship between a terrier and a miniature horse to talking with Jedd Medefind, Dr. Sharen Ford, and Helen Parks about the incredible things that can happen when the Church comes alongside the state to support children and families.

How do we define success when working with people who are experiencing hard things? Sometimes we have in our mind this idyllic image of what success looks like and how fast we ought to be able to get there. It might be tied to quarterly progress reports, numbers, growth charts. While there is nothing wrong with that, today we are going to consider what it looks like to trust the Lord and focus on the primary job that He gave us in scripture - to love people well.

Our incredible guests today are Salt Wall and Chelsea Geyer. They each draw on their work with vulnerable families and their personal lives to share their perspective on defining success and loving the people around them.

On this bonus episode we are joined by Peter Greer and Chris Horst as they share about their book, Rooting for Rivals, and discuss the importance of collaboration and unity. Peter and Chris recount various stories from non-profit organizations across the country as well as their own leadership experiences that demonstrate the multiplying power of working alongside, rather than against, one another. They also offer several practical steps toward better collaboration among nonprofit leaders, churches, and individuals who are all committed to providing more than enough for kids and families in their local communities.

Have you ever tried to make a difference for children in foster care? Maybe you started by joining a small group at church, maybe you donated clothes to a foster care closet, maybe you took a meal over to those folks at church who had just become foster parents. It started with a simple yes. All you did was come in for a closer look -- and now looking back -- you realize that your simple yes is leading you to something much bigger.

In the state of Oklahoma, the number of children in foster care has dramatically decreased over the past few years. This change has stemmed from many individuals, like Misty Seale and Chris Campbell with the 111 Project, who understand the power of a simple ‘yes’. Chris and Misty have been witness to the large transformations occurring for children, homes, and lives across their state that all started with individuals and their small ‘yes’.

When the church is rallying around families, loving on social workers, and caring for children, it is what it was always meant to be: the light of the world. When the church is here, everything changes.

On this episode we are joined by Jason Johnson, National Director of CAFO Church Ministry Initiative, as he shares about what it means for a church to engage with foster care. Lauri Currier and Ann Book talk about their work with The CALL in Arkansas, where one county reached more than enough for children and families in foster care, and we wrap up with Jessica Stern, COO of Connect our Kids. Jessica shares a few stories from her own childhood, and what it meant for the local church to ‘show up’ and support her family.