Families Helping Families

Safe Families for Children is a local partner of Karis Church, where Karis members volunteer in various roles to support families in crisis. Read one story about our partnership below!

Safe Families is intentional about surrounding families in crisis with a community of support. In the same way, they are also intentional about surrounding their volunteers with support as they are serving. In May, there was a hosting that was planned to last five weeks. To give the host family the support they needed, Family Friends were paired with this family to provide meals, help with transportation, and provide babysitting support. One of the families who helped to provide support as Family Friends were Karis members Matt & Carly Ogan. They are approved as a host family, but when they can’t host, they volunteer their time as Family Friends.

Carly shares about their experience stating, “Matt and I had the opportunity this summer to provide respite care to a Safe Families host family as they hosted two young boys while their mother was in the hospital. Through this ministry we were able to provide babysitting support for the boys for weekends and evenings as needed. During that time we would play games, make crafts, eat and just have fun! We were also able to connect with the boys' mother and build a relationship where we are still in contact with her even after the hosting ended. Since then we have further prepared our guest room and are excited to take on the Host Family role in full capacity for a family in need in the future. We truly believe in this ministry and God's power to use willing people to bring about unforeseen connections with those in our community to bring his name glory!”

If you’d like to learn more about serving with Safe Families, visit the info table during our Sunday Gatherings on September 12th or 19th, and sign up for the next informational meeting on September 21st!