People are called to provide services to others for different reasons—personal life experiences, setting an example for their kids or being called by their faith. No matter the reason, helping others is a great way to influence positive changes in your community and add purpose to your life.

If you feel your faith has called you to support people in your community who are experiencing hardships, there are many ways you and your religious congregation can help. Whether you’re impacting one person or a hundred people, the difference made is important. Here are five ways you and your congregation can help strengthen families in Nebraska and ensure their wellbeing.

1) Educate your congregation.

Ask to talk to your congregation about the need for more people to help children and teens in foster care, individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, at-risk youth and families experiencing life challenges. If you aren’t comfortable with public speaking, a member of our team is always happy to visit congregations around the community to share information.

2) Provide evening or weekend care for families.

Everyone needs a break sometimes!  Ask members of your church to volunteer to provide evening or weekend care for families in need. Many parents work hard to provide for the children and adults they care for and spending extra money on a paid babysitter isn’t always an option. If people in your congregation are considering becoming foster families or extended family home providers for individuals with disabilities, providing temporary care can help them decide if that’s the right path for them.

3) Host training sessions and informational meetings open to the community.

Ask your congregation if you can utilize its facilities to host informational meetings about foster parenting, caring for individuals with disabilities, mentoring at-risk youth and more. We can also send someone from KVC to come to your informational meeting to speak to your group and answer any questions. Many times, people want to be involved in helping others but don’t know what their options are. Hosting information sessions about all the ways people can get involved is educational and brings the community together.

4) Organize donation drives and group volunteering activities.

KVC and many other organizations throughout Nebraska are always accepting donations to help families in need. At KVC, we use donations in a variety of ways, such as providing basic needs for youth in foster care and hosting free trainings for foster parents and extended family home providers. Encourage your community to “Marie Kondo” their homes for lightly used items they no longer need, such as clothes, blankets, toys, games and strollers. Whether your items are for babies, teens or adults, there’s always a need in your community.

Create a sign-up sheet for various community activities and encourage your members to volunteer together. This not only benefits the organization they’re volunteering for but also creates more sense of community and closeness within your congregation.

5) Encourage members to become caretakers.

There’s an immediate need for more foster parents in Nebraska, especially to provide homes for teens and sibling sets. We are also looking for compassionate individuals and families to open their homes to individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Ask members of your church if they have ever considered becoming a caretaker to someone in need. Help them understand the rewards that come with changing another person’s life, and that they’re never alone in the process. KVC provides 24/7 support to our caretakers and is always here to answer questions and provide help along the way.

About KVC Nebraska

KVC Nebraska is a nonprofit behavioral health organization that provides foster care, intensive in-home services, family support services, Parents and Children Together programs, Youth Peer Support services, and Extended Family Homes for individuals with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities.

Get involved! Our ability to provide these life-changing services to Nebraska families counts on help from people like you! Help us make a difference in Nebraska by volunteering or making a donation!