Every child needs a stable home, but did you know that right now, there are hundreds of children living in Orange County without a permanent family to call their own?

The need is real, so last week our church hosted a Family Fun Day to bring our congregation and local foster families together to both have a good time through connection experiences and activities. After the 11:00 service, our Fellowship Hall was full of children and parents assembled for food and fun. There was pizza for lunch (and snacks for later), as well as interactive games led by members of our Rooted groups, a photo booth, and an obstacle course for the kids to enjoy. The event offered a chance for us to engage in supporting families and enact positive change to this very present crisis.

One family that attended was a couple who had been foster parents for 35 years. They thought they were done a few years ago but the house just seemed too quiet. So, they chose to continue to foster and welcomed a family of 3 siblings into their home. Our event gave their family a chance to connect and have fun together. Another family was led by a grandfather raising his 3 grandsons. They were able to spend time learning and relating to one another in fun ways.

This special event also provided a wonderful opportunity for several church ministries to come together as one; Rooted small groups, family ministries, and local outreach teams united to make this event happen in partnership with Zero by 2020, an organization that aims to find a family for every foster child in Orange County by the year 2020! With the help of local government and a church-to-church strategy, Zero by 2020 believes that if we, as the Body of Christ, work together, we can accomplish this God-sized goal!

Thanks to everyone who took part in this very special day. We look forward to offering future opportunities to serve the incredible mission of Zero by 2020, so keep your eyes and heart open!