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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

The purpose of the York County Charter is to create a county-wide network that allows every child in foster care to remain in our county.

Fostering the Family Regional Manager

York County

Susie Boyle, Regional Manager

I am passionate about working with the least of these and have been since my heart was touched and forever changed by fostering a sweet little girl in 2005 in Michigan.

Realizing this child didn’t have an adult voice in court, I felt called to be the voice of children in Foster Care when I moved to South Carolina. I have now been a volunteer Guardian Ad Litem for over 14 years. It is through this role that the foster crisis became so evident and being the voice for children who have no voice has absolutely become my life calling.

I have been married for 30 years to my college sweetheart Dennis, have two amazing biological children Shayne and Avery, an awesome son-in-law Connor, and a bonus child named Kennedy. I also dwell with the best dog named Cooper, and we are grandparents to a lovely little rabbit named Ollie and a newly acquired puppy named Rigley. In my spare time, I can be found playing soccer, working out at Burn Boot Camp, or riding my paddleboard.

Meet the Advisory Board

Christina Abdella

I am the proud mother of a wonderful daughter, wife to an amazing, supportive husband, and the “human lead” to a silly Old English Sheepdog puppy. My lifelong passion for supporting youth is rooted in my own childhood experiences, driving my core belief that every child deserves to feel loved and valued.

My passion for youth has led to volunteering with churches and various missions’ organizations around the globe, but my heart for foster care was truly solidified right out of college while working in an all-male maximum-security juvenile prison. Witnessing how many of those young men had been lost within “the system” broke my heart and opened my eyes to the desperate need for strong, stable foster families. Years later, I am following God’s calling to pour into the lives of foster children and their families through Fostering the Family.

Hannah Mayhorn

Hello, I’m Hannah! I first became involved with Fostering the Family when they visited my home church in 2019. My husband, Jonathan, and I felt a tug on our hearts to foster, so we decided to get involved however we could until we were in a place where we could open our home to foster children. Jonathan and I joined our church’s Care Community as family helpers and served for two years. Three years later, I joined the Fostering the Family team as their Administrator and eventual Operations Manager.

I have a background in content writing, website design, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), email marketing, social media strategy, administration, and customer relationship management. I’m Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition, a Clinical Herbalist, and a Certified Health Coach, and I have operated a health and wellness blog for people with autoimmune disease and chronic illness since 2018.

Jonathan and I both have adopted siblings and always knew we wanted adoption to be one of the avenues through which we grew our family. Later on, we found out we could not have biological children. Although infertility is a heartbreak that never really goes away, we believe we are also blessed in a way many familes aren’t, because our home is open for any children who may need us. We began the process of getting approved to adopt from foster care through SC DSS in May 2023. Our home study was approved in December 2025, and now we are waiting to be matched with a child or sibling group. We’re excited to see how God directs our adoption journey in the future.

In our free time, Jonathan and I love to practice and record music together, walk and picnic outdoors, and spend time with family and friends. We’re active members at our church, Founded in Truth Fellowship, and serve on the worship team and co-lead the FIT Life Group for young families. Our faith is an extremely important part of our life!

LeAnn Lowrey

I have been involved with Fostering the Family since its inception in 2017 when the founder, Kim Trainer, became inspired to serve South Carolina children through this faith-based organization. I attend Impact Church in Rock Hill, SC. Indeed, I firmly believe that the Body of Christ is called to help our vulnerable children in the foster care system, as well as help those who choose to foster and provide them with safety, love, and spiritual guidance. As a Board Member of the organization, I serve as the secretary.

My husband and I have raised three fine young men. Throughout the years, we have had other boys living in our home when they needed a place to live. We both serve as volunteers for Fostering the Family and help people in our community whenever we can.

Robin Kelso

Fostering the Family Board Member/Treasurer

With more than 45 years of financial and accounting leadership experience, Robin brings extensive expertise in financial stewardship, governance, and strategic planning to the board. She spent over 20 years in public accounting and CPA firms, advising businesses on accounting, auditing, taxation, financial systems and management matters. This foundation provided broad exposure to organizations across multiple industries and a deep understanding of sound financial practices.

Robin currently serves as a Controller with John Deere, where she has dedicated more than 25 years of service. Throughout her career, she has been responsible for financial reporting, budgeting, internal controls, compliance, risk management, operational and financial analysis, helping support sound business decisions and long-term organizational success.

Known for her integrity, analytical approach, and commitment to fiscal accountability, Robin brings valuable expertise in financial oversight, governance, risk management, and strategic planning developed through decades of experience in both public accounting and corporate finance.

As a Fostering the Family board member, she is committed to using her expertise to support the organization’s mission, promote long-term sustainability and transparency, and help create a lasting impact on vulnerable children across the state of South Carolina.

Tammy Padgett

Tammy Padgett is a Christian wife, heart mom to 7 children, ranging in age from 7 to 35, and grandma to 6-month-old Jack. She is a homeschooling mama going on 14 years. She has 17 years of personal experience with informal and formal fictive kinship care and has adopted.

Tammy has been on the Fostering the Family board for 5 years. She also serves as co-chair of the Stand for Children Prayer Walk. She is a peer liaison for KinCarolina. Tammy is also an FASD advocate. She graduated from UNC-Charlotte with a BA in Sociology and Criminal Justice. Tammy is a published author of a children’s book, Meet Me at the Stump. It is about knowing your worthin God and serving others with your gifts.

She attends Church of Christ at Gold Hill Road with her husband and youngest daughter. In the little bit of spare time she has, Tammy enjoys vacationing with her family, watercolor painting, calligraphy, being creative in all arts, singing, dancing, listening to music, and podcasts, and “comfy clothes” and “murder shows.” She makes an excellent couch detective.

Fostering the Family Provides Several Ways You Can Get Involved

Awareness

The three male winners at the Fostering the Family Fight for Families 5k

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

August 18th-First ARP, Rock Hill, York County Support Group 6-8 Keystone speaker
August 22nd- First ARP, Rock Hill, Mission Conference
Sept 2nd- First ARP, Rock Hill, Ministry Fair
Sept. 12th- Rock Hill Gymnastics
October 20th-First ARP, Rock Hill York County Support Group 6-8 to Hair is not Scary
Nov 7th Fight for Families 5k Westminster Park, Rock Hill
Nov 17th-First ARP, Rock Hill York County Support Group 6-8 Gratefulness/Thanksgiving Meal
Dec 12th – Church of Christ at Gold Hill Road Winter Wonderland 2-5

Support Services

A group picture at the York County Support group

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.

Request a Care Community

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

Resource Network

York County meeting the Tangible Needs of the community

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!

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

Tangible Needs Portal

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

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

Join our Network of Churches

Bring Awareness to Your Church

Join a Foster, Adoption, or Kinship Support Group

Become a Guardian Ad Litem