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Tangible Needs Portal

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Tangible Needs Portal

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FTF Vision

To Make a Lasting Difference in the lives of vulnerable children

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FTF Mission

To ignite churches and communities to support foster, adoptive and Kinship families

Our purpose for Aiken and Edgefield County is larger than any one church program or project. We are striving to build a network of volunteers working to reflect God’s heart for the most vulnerable in our community. It is an all-too-rare picture of the church unified, serving in both word and deed, bearing testimony to the character of our God.

We believe that together we can be More Than Enough!

Fostering The Family
County Coordinator

Aiken/Edgefield Counties

Scott Bowser, County Coordinator

Scott and his wife Angela attend Fairview Presbyterian Church in North Augusta. They have three children and six grandchildren.

Scott and Angela completed their Fostering The Family Lead Advocate training in 2019 and started Fairview’s Family Advocacy Ministry. They founded the Aiken and Edgefield Chapter in 2023. Scott chairs the Aiken/Edgefield County Fostering FTF advisory board. In addition they hold quarterly meetings with a network of local churches working to better share resources in their community assisting DSS by providing support and resources for families in need.

Meet the Board

Miller and Kalei Thompson

Miller and Kalei Thompson attend Curtis Baptist Church in Augusta GA.  Miller and his wife Kalei have fostered five children over the past five years.  They currently have three children that they have adopted through Foster Care.

Kenny and April Hanna

Kenny and April Hanna attend True North Church in North Augusta. They have Fostered for 5 years and coordinate the North August Foster mom group.  The Foster mom group is made up of experienced and former foster moms that mentor new foster parents. Kenny and April routinely sponsor Foster Family Fellowship Events in our community.

Chris and Debbie Hoffman

Chris and Debbie Hoffmann are owners of Hoffmann Residential Services. The have Five Children and Eight Grand Children. Chris and Debbie attend The Fish Camp Fellowship and lead weekly Bible Studies at their home in North Augusta. Their passion for foster care comes from them serving as Grandparents to a child in foster care. Chris serves on the Foster Care Review Board and is an advocate for supporting vulnerable children in our community.

Suzanne Shimp

Suzanne and Bob Shimp attend Fairview Presbyterian Church in North Augusta. They coordinate Michael’s Room, a clothing and furniture closet in North Augusta dedicated to Foster Parents and DSS families.

Tod and Gretchen Sawyer

Tod and Gretchen have served as foster parents over 10 years, caring for 10 children, four of whom joined their family permanently through adoption. Tod and Gretchen now are proud parents of six girls! Gretchen and Tod Sawyer attend Victory Baptist church in North Augusta where they serve as the lead advocates for The Forgotten Initiative and focus on providing support to DSS.

Fostering the Family Provides Several Ways You Can Get Involved

Awareness

Fostering the Family holds awareness and recruitment events to educate the public. The purpose of each event is to raise awareness, recruit foster families, recruit Guardian Ad Litem volunteers, and most of all ask The Church to pray.

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Upcoming Events

  • 4th Quarter – SC Foster Family Quarterly Dinner
  • 4th Quarter – Helping Hands Night Out
  • October – 5K Fun Run
  • November – Stand Sunday
  • December – DSS Appreciation Event
  • December- Guardian Ad Litem Appreciation Event

Support Services

Foster Families have additional stress placed on their entire family. Children in foster care have monthly visits with their DSS case worker, placement agency, Guardian ad Litem volunteer, therapy, and court dates. Often children are behind in school. Many times foster parents work to provide the children in care with the same opportunities as their biological children, all contributing to extra stress. Support services help provide consistency through FAMs and Support Groups.

Click for a list of local Churches who offer Support Services: Wrap Around Support (PDF)

Request a  Care Community

Request to Volunteer on a Care Community Team/ Schedule a call to hear about ways to serve

Resource Network

Once biological parents have successfully completed their treatment plan, DSS requires a safe living space for their children to return to. To avoid the children going back into foster care, our Resource Network helps provide simple needs for these families. These include items such as beds, cribs, car seats, and adequate food. Additionally, children often enter foster care with only a few items, and foster families need help meeting their foster children’s initial needs. Fostering the Family works with local church ministries to build Resource Networks in SC. When a church already has an established ministry, together we can work on building a Network that focuses on meeting the needs of the general population BEFORE disruption of the family happens!

The Church Can Help Fill the Gap

  • There are over 400,000 children in the US foster care system, Approximately 4,000 children in the SC Foster care system and 70,000 kinship caregivers caring for children.
  • Aiken/Edgefield County has a shortage of 85 Guardian Ad Litems.
  • Aiken County averages 119 Children in Foster Care, 109 in Family Preservation and 130 open cases.
  • Edgefield County averages 12 Children in Foster Care, 5 in Family Preservation, and 11 open cases.
  • Fostering The Family works closely with the Guardian Ad Litem program. It is the GAL’s responsibility to speak for the least of these and ensure both the Parents and DSS are acting in the best interest of the child.
  • In an average quarter, County GAL volunteers will receive case offerings in the following categories.
  • 8 children removed due to mother and infant testing positive for illegal drugs at birth.
  • 16 children removed due to parental drug use.
  • 3 children removed due to sexual abuse.
  • 3 children removed due to physical abuse.
  • 3 children removed due to domestic violence in the home.
  • 2 children removed due to parent not complying with the treatment plan.
  • Prayer Request: More Christian Volunteer to advocate for vulnerable Children as Guardian Ad Litems.

Foster/Kinship/Adoptive Recruitment & Growth

We work with foster placement agencies to provide support for foster families and assist with training and recruitment.

South Carolina (Midlands Approved Placement Agencies)

Connie Maxwell, Epworth, Growing Homes S.E. Lutheran Services, National Youth Advocate Program, Nightlight Foster Care Program, Oasis of Hope, Pinnacle Family Services, SAFY, SC YAP

Download Local Resource Services

Tangible Needs Portal

  • There are over 400,000 children in the US foster care system, Approximately 4,000 children in the SC Foster care system and 70,000 kinship caregivers caring for children.
  • Aiken/Edgefield County has a shortage of 85 Guardian Ad Litems.
  • Aiken County averages 119 Children in Foster Care, 109 in Family Preservation and 130 open cases.
  • Edgefield County averages 12 Children in Foster Care, 5 in Family Preservation, and 11 open cases.
  • Fostering The Family works closely with the Guardian Ad Litem program. It is the GAL’s responsibility to speak for the least of these and ensure both the Parents and DSS are acting in the best interest of the child.
  • In an average quarter, County GAL volunteers will receive case offerings in the following categories.
  • 8 children removed due to mother and infant testing positive for illegal drugs at birth.
  • 16 children removed due to parental drug use.
  • 3 children removed due to sexual abuse.
  • 3 children removed due to physical abuse.
  • 3 children removed due to domestic violence in the home.
  • 2 children removed due to parent not complying with the treatment plan.
  • Prayer Request: More Christian Volunteer to advocate for vulnerable Children as Guardian Ad Litems.

Foster/Kinship/ Adoptive Recruitment & Growth

We work with foster placement agencies to provide support for foster families and assist with training and recruitment.

South Carolina (Midlands Approved Placement Agencies)

Connie Maxwell, Epworth, Growing Homes S.E. Lutheran Services, National Youth Advocate Program, Nightlight Foster Care Program, Oasis of Hope, Pinnacle Family Services, SAFY, SC YAP

Download Local Resource Services

Tangible Needs Portal

One important way to meet needs locally is through our: Tangible Needs Portal Help a child take a step toward stability today. The Landing Platform provides a list of immediate needs of children, families, and young adults in the child welfare system. This is your opportunity to get involved in a child’s life: NOW!

Meet Local Needs
Get Notified of New Needs
Join our Network of Churches
Bring Awareness to Your Church
Join a Foster, Adoption, or Kinship Support Group
Become a Guardian Ad Litem