Tangible Needs Portal

Fight for Families 5k

Tangible Needs Portal

Supporting Vulnerable Children

Our vision 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!

Prayer & Awareness

Building a Network of Churches

Building Support for Foster Families

Fostering The Family
County Coordinator

Aiken/Edgefield Counties

Register to Meet Needs
Request a Care Community
Make a Donation
Join a Prayer Team
Volunteer on a Care Team

Scott Bowser, County Coordinator

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

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.

Scott Bowser, County Coordinator

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

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.

Scott Bowser, County Coordinator

Scott Bowser, County Coordinator

Register to Meet Needs
Request a Care Community
Join a Prayer Team
Volunteer on a Care Team

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.

Joel Jolly

Joel and his wife, Susan, attend Edgefield First Baptist.  Joel and Susan are the lead contacts for Edgefield County and coordinate the Edgefield County clothing closet and Blessed Beds Furniture ministry.

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.

Church Awareness

This ministry was started and will be sustained by prayer. We believe that Prayer and Awareness in the Church is the first step to making a positive impact in the Foster Care Crisis.

We assist churches in Aiken and Edgefield counties by holding Awareness and Fellowship Events. A team of church volunteers will oversee events and planning. Awareness Events bring to light all of the needs in the community where DSS, Guardian Ad Litem, Former Foster Children and parents provide testimonials and insight to what is happening in our backyards.

Fostering the Family Provides Several Ways You Can Get Involved

What is a Care Community?

A care Community is a team, much like an extended family, of 4-8 committed and equipped volunteers who support and serve a foster, adoptive or kinship family. Each volunteer receives a Fostering overview and gets to decide what roles they want to do and how often they want to serve. Each family is different, and support is always tailored to the family needs. The foundation of Every Care Community is prayer.

This is an excellent way for a Sunday School class or Small Group to perform outreach and exhibit the Gospel in our community.

As a FTF partner, Churches get access to Promises Serves Resources to assist them in managing their volunteers and teams.

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!

Sign up to receive emails of local needs here.

Local Needs

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

Wrap Around Support
Resource Network

Partner Churches

  • 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.

Sponsor/Partners

  • Optimist Club of North America
  • Sertoma
  • SRP Federal Credit Union
  • Community Ministry of North Augusta
  • Acts (Area Churches Together Serving)
  • ECCHO (Edgefield County Churches Helping Others)

Upcoming Events

  • 9/12/25 – SC Foster Family 3rd Quarterly Dinner – Fairview Presbyterian
  • 3rd Quarter – Helping Hands Night Out – Matlock Baptist
  • 3rd Quarter – Foster Parent Training, Knowing Your Rights
  • 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
Join our Network of Churches
Bring Awareness to Your Church
Join a Foster, Adoption, or Kinship Support Group
Become a Guardian Ad Litem