Get Involved & Make a Difference

Join Fostering the Family’s exciting events and become a vital part of our mission to raise awareness and advocate for youth in foster, adoptive, and kinship care. Explore our upcoming and current events to discover how you can contribute, and take a look back at the wonderful memories created at our previous gatherings. Click on an event below to see the view photos of the community and connections we’ve made in our journey to support families!

Upcoming Public Events

More Coming Soon!

Ongoing Awareness Challenge

SC Steps UP for Foster Care Virtual Awareness Challenge

Join Our Virtual Steps Challenge &
Fight for Families All Year Long!

Whether you’re lacing up your shoes for the in-person 5K or cheering
from the sidelines, there’s another way you can Fight for Families with
us. We’ve launched a new and improved virtual steps challenge using
the Step Up app!

We heard your feedback about our previous app and found a new
platform that is much easier to use. With this app, you won’t have to
worry about manually starting or stopping your steps—it’s a virtual
pedometer that tracks your progress automatically.

Even better, it seamlessly integrates with your Apple Watch, Fitbit, and
other wearables! Simply join the challenge, and your steps will be
counted without you ever having to think about it.

Here’s how to participate:

Donate to Join: Make a “pay what you can” donation to
join the challenge. Your gift will provide direct, year-
round support to foster, adoptive, and kinship families
across the state.
Get the App: After you donate, check your donation
receipt! It will include a special link to join our group in
the Step Up app.
Step Up for Families: Track your steps, connect with
other participants, and help us make a collective impact
for families in South Carolina, all on your own schedule.

Upcoming Support Groups for Foster, Adoptive, & Kinship Families

Greenville Area

November Support Group Meeting- November 14, 2025

Finding Peace and Joy

Navigating Holiday Stress

for Foster and Adoptive Caregivers

Navigating Holiday Stress

for Foster and Adoptive Caregivers

Discover how modifying expectations while
embracing gratitude and compassion can
bring back the genuine

peace and joy of the season.

Date: Friday, November 14th, 2025

Time: 6:00pm-8:00pm

Location:Messiah Lutheran Church

Address: 1100 Log Shoals Rd.

Mauldin, SC

York County Area

October "The Advocate's Toolkit-with Thompson Dove Law Group" - October 21, 2025

Fostering the Family is excited to host FREE monthly support groups for foster, adoptive and kinship families in the York County area.

Join us for our October meeting:

First ARP
- 201 East White Street
  Rock Hill, SC
October 21, 2025 6-8pm
Dinner will be provided

Serving children from hard places requires heart, but it also requires knowledge. The legal landscape of foster care can feel overwhelming, but understanding the system is the single best way to advocate for the children in your home.

We invite you to join us for a crucial support group and training session, where we will equip you with The Advocate’s Toolkit.

We are thrilled to welcome the team from Thompson Dove Law Group, who will provide critical training to ensure you understand your rights, responsibilities, and the legal framework governing child welfare.

Topics will include:

The Court System: Understanding the roles of the Guardian ad Litem and Family Court.
The Agencies: Clarifying the role of the Department of Social Services (DSS).
Permanency Planning: Navigating complex issues like termination of parental rights, reunification, and adoption.

Walk away empowered to make informed decisions, collaborate effectively with legal professionals, and uphold the best interests of the children entrusted to your care.

REGISTER HERE FOR FREE

Past Events

Past Support Group Meetings

October "Thrive Marriage Retreat" - October 3 & 4, 2025

INTENDED FOR FOSTER, KINSHIP, AND ADOPTIVE FAMILIES
SPACE IS LIMITED. PLEAS

OCT. 3 • 5:30–9PM | OCT. 4 • 8:30AM–12:30PM
HOLLAND PARK CHURCH
1131 HOLLAND RD, SIMPSONVILLE, SC
Meals and child care by Adoption Helpers provided

FEATURING: GREG & JULIE GORMAN WITHMARRIED FOR A PURPOSE

STRENGTHEN YOUR CONNECTION WITH YOUR SPOUSE AND CHILDREN AT THIS INSPIRING WEEKEND RETREAT

York County September Family Fun Event - September 13, 2025

Fostering the Family is excited to host FREE monthly support groups for foster, adoptive and kinship families in the York County area. Join us for a fun night of food, play, and community at Rock Hill Gymnastics!

Enjoy pizza, connect with others, and let the kids play in the gymnastics gym—perfect for building relationships in a fun, active setting. Plea

Rock Hill Gymnastics 400 Mt Gallant Road Rock Hill
September 13, 2025 4-6pm
Pizza will be provided

Important Safety Information:

To ensure everyone has a safe and wonderful time, please note a few important things:

Waivers: A safety waiver will need to be filled out for every child before they can access the gym and equipment.
Parental Supervision: Parents are responsible for the safety and respectful behavior of their children while in the gym. We kindly ask that you keep a close eye on your kids to ensure they have a great time and play safely on all the equipment.

We can’t wait to connect with you and your family!

Greenville September "Content" Support Group Meeting- September 12, 2025

Keeping Cool when your Kids Heat Up

September 12, 2025
6pm-8pm
Messiah Lutheran Church
- 1100 Log Shoals Rd, Mauldin, SC

FEATURING:

Dinner for foster, adoptive, and kinship families.
Childcare on site, provided by Adoption Helpers.
Therapist Jenny Hawes, LISW-CP. Jenny will speak to parents about keeping our emotions regulated when our kids escalate. This content will provide a certificate to apply toward required training hours for licensed foster parents.

Click Each Event to View Photos

Fight for Families 5k - October 18, 2025

6th Annual Fight for Families 5k!

October 18, 2025
Allison Creek Park-
- 2499 Viesta Rd. York, SC

Take a peek at some moments from the event here!

"All in for Foster Care" Casino Night August 16, 2025

An unforgettable evening of fun, laughter, and
giving back to support Fostering the Family our
mission to strengthen foster families in our community.

Please note: All casino games are for entertainment

purposes only. No real cash prizes will be awarded, in
accordance with South Carolina state law.

SC Steps Up for Foster Care - through May 31, 2025

Join us for our first ever Virtual Challenge!

Our SC Steps Up for Foster Care Virtual callenge kicks of April 12, 2025 during the walk to the State House in Columbia at 2:00pm. (You may start your tracking from anywhere if you cannot attend the Prayer Walk in person!)

From there you will use the RaceJoy App on your phone to track all of your miles walked/ran until May 31st 11:59 PM.

We would love to have people registered in ALL 46 Counties in South Carolina to raise awareness about the Foster Care Crisis!

Registration included miles tracking within the RaceJoy app. You can also create teams, and track or cheer on other people participating in the challenge!