In keeping with the desire of the Open Hearts, Open Homes Orphan Ministry to encourage families in the area of foster care we are a hosting site for PRIDE classes beginning February 2012. These classes are required of both spouses for a family to become licensed for foster care.
To begin the process of becoming a foster parent you first need to choose a local agency to work through. The following are the more known agencies in our area:
Children’s Home 309- 685-1047
DCFS 309-671-7900
Family Core 309-676-2400
Lutheran Social Services 309-671-0300
Catholic Charities (in flux) 309-636-8000
Once you have chosen an agency you will receive a packet of information that includes an application. They will then do a home visit and the agency will sign you up for the PRIDE classes. You can request to be put in the classes being held at the 7229 N. Knoxville Ave. building of Bethany Baptist Church (please note these dates are on the DCFS schedule under Living Waters Church because that is the sign that identifies the building on Knoxville Ave). :
Feb. 18
Feb. 25 9-12noon
March 2, 10, 17, 24, 31 9-12noon
April 7 9-12noon
These dates don’t work for your family? Don’t let that be a deterrent there are other classes available in our area that may work better for your family!
As we are going into the Christmas season and these particular classes are open to any prospective foster parents it would be good to start talking with an agency before the holidays.
As part of the licensing process you will need to fill out an application, have physical exams on each family member, and anyone over 17 in your home will need to be fingerprinted. One of the parents will need to take the Educational Advocacy class; this class is being offered at
In need of something to do while you are waiting to be licensed? –
1. Pray that the Lord would help you to minister to the children that He will bring to you.
2. Pray that the Lord would help you to minister to the birth families of the children.
3. Pray that the Lord would prepare the hearts of your family for what He will teach you.
4. Make a list of the things the Lord brings to your mind when you are praying – this will
be great to reflect on as you minister to the ‘least of these’.
If you have any questions please feel free to call Amy Park - levisix@frontier.com
Schedule:
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Summit 2011 Recap Video from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.
You may want to be praying about the Orphan Summit 2012 May 3-4, 2012 at Saddleback Church, California.
You are invited to join other foster and adoptive families for an
Open Hearts, Open Homes Social!
Date: Saturday,July 30, 2011
Time: 4:30pm
Place: JR White Park, Holland Rd, Germantown Hills
We will provide meat fresh off the grill and drinks. Please bring a dish to share
RSVP/?'s to: Lisa Schwarz - schwarz8@mtco.com
This is a partial re-post from Jennell. Please read on to see how you can help!Ok friends and family........I'm once again coming to you for help :) I know that you will come through for me :) I just teamed up with Jami Kaeb with the Forgotten Initiative. This girl has an incredible heart for the Lord and He is using her and her obedience to Him in a mighty way!! Check out the link to learn more about what she is doing for the foster children in our communities. She inspires me to do more, so I offered to help out and do a Diaper and Food Drive for our local DCFS in Peoria. DCFS is where Peoria area children go when they are taken from their parents custody and wait for foster care placement.
The following is taken from the Forgotten Initiative's website.
Local foster care agencies are doing their best to help children and their families in need but resources are limited and due to lack of funding, programs benefiting children and vulnerable adults are cut. When programs are cut, when supplies run low, when rooms get outdated and dirty, children are affected.
What if we, as the Body of Christ, did something to change this? What if we worked together to support the agencies and lighten their load? Not everyone is called to be a foster parent or even a mentor, but everyone can do something. The Forgotten Initiative believes strongly in building partnerships with local agencies. When you support the agencies, you literally affect the children they are trying to help. When you bring the light of Jesus Christ into an agency, everyone is uplifted!
You may have seen on the news or read about The Forgotten Initiative's recent renovation of the DCFS waiting room. Will you help me serve them again and supply them with diapers, wipes or baby food??? You can ship them directly to me and get great deals via http://www.amazon.com/ orhttp://www.diapers.com/. You can also drop anything off at our home or find me at church.
You can email me snjdietz@gmail.com with any questions you may have.
My goal: 100 boxes of diapers/pull-ups (any size) or wipes and several boxes and/or jars of baby food and/or formula by July 15th!!
They will be thrilled with anything given to them!! Let's bless them and show them what the Body of Christ can do for these innocent children!!!!!
Matthew 25:40 ....'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Save the date!
Christian Adoptive Families picnic
on Sunday, July 24, 2011 in Tremont.
Time: 5-9pm - picnic 5-7pm, swimming 7-9pm
Place: Park Shelter across from the Tremont pool.
More details will be coming as things are finalized.
Christian Adoptive Families is a group of Christian adoptive
families from Central Illinois. They get together a few times a year
for fun and fellowship. Several OHOH families have attended
these events and have had a great time!
These are the words of Russell Moore (Southern Seminary) at Summit VII
"We are afraid of orphans. Because orphans are unpredictable. There is always some kind of tragedy. We would rather not think of such things. We are afraid of the mark left on the victims of tragedy.
God, in his adopting power thru Jesus, has brought us into his family. We reach orphans as ex-orphans ourselves.
As we move into the dangerous places, we empower others to live courageously. What do we have to be afraid of anymore? Jesus has given us a path. When we love in the sad, dark, haunted places; children who we are afraid of, we follow Jesus there."
excerpt from www.christianallianceblog.org
PO Box 40
202 N. Ford St.
Gridley, IL 61744
Last I had heard there had been $1200 donated with a goal of $3000.
www.orphancareresources.org. As we should always do, please use discernment as you read through the information.
