A bridge between child welfare and the local church is underway with the Canadian launch of a program that connects social service needs with supports using technology.

Forever Families Canada's Executive Director and Co-founder, Wendi Park, has partnered with CarePortal, an online platform that provides a space for families to make their needs known and connect with churches to help answer their call for help. 

This new initiative will connect foster children, ageing out youth, and at-risk families in Winnipeg to churches that will be equipped to provide wrap-around support for children and families in crisis.

"It all started with a cup of coffee and relationships. In the past, child welfare and the church haven't intersected well. Recently we've been sitting around the table with some of the agencies and saying, 'how can we support this?' We believe this is a community issue not just a social services issue and in particular, a church community issue," Park says. 

"It's not that they just need bedding or just need toys. If it was that easy poverty would be eradicated, but it's relational poverty."

Churches and social services are seeing a demand for this partnership. "We've been seeing requests from social services saying, 'hey we have a mom who would love to stay with her child but she's going to need some support. She's going to need a car seat. There is a grandpa that could keep his grandchildren together but he needs some furniture so that he can be set up to succeed.' 

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"There's been so many ways that behind the scenes churches have been stepping up," Park says. "Currently, the Winnipeg pastors network has jumped on board. There are 11 churches signing up for CarePortal, with at least five more hoping to join in the near future," Park says.

"Winnipeg is the first Canadian location to have CarePortal and first location outside of the US. We've been piloting it in Winnipeg [with three churches] and contextualizing it for  Canada. This is really an online platform that can identify front line ministries like Safe Families so they can identify their needs and they can put it on the platform and the churches that we've been working with can respond in real-time," Park says.

It's not just for organizations, the government or churches. "Our churches will get it in an email but other churches, businesses, and community members can see those requests," Park says. 

Fostering relationships

"There was a mom with a young child that was in need of some bedding and toys for a child. Another mom took her child about the same age to deliver donated toys that were once hers and they instantly connected. They hit it off so well that they are having a playdate!

"God's heart is for the vulnerable. God's heart is to restore families and churches want to help, but often we don't know what to do about it."

"We have no agenda that they should build a relationship but we always want it relationally based. It's not that they just need bedding or just need toys. If it was that easy poverty would be eradicated, but it's relational poverty. It's telling this mom, telling this child, you're not alone, we can be friends. They don't always turn out that way but it's a great example," Park says.

The church can respond in many ways. "It's not simply asking the church to respond and be Santa Claus or Kijiji to needs out there," Park says. "We see the platform not only as a tool that we connect physical objects and deliver them but it's really an opportunity for the church to be disciples in action," Park says.  

"God's heart is for the vulnerable. God's heart is to restore families and churches want to help, but often we don't know what to do about it," Park says.

Churches that sign up will be provided training in trauma, poverty, indigenous awareness, and cultural sensitivity. 

Joining the welfare puzzle

November 14, 2019, at 7:10 p.pm. CarePortal will officially launch at the Human Rights Museum. There will be a panel, an indigenous dance performance, games, photo booths and more. "Anybody can come. We would love to welcome you in the door and to take part in this historic moment. We believe everyone has a piece in the welfare puzzle. 

"We are going to move forward in a new way ... not on our own separate path but we want to be at the table with government, with social services, with indigenous peoples, and see what our part is," Park says.