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FOSTER CARE

A LETTER FROM

Our Founder

As we look back on the past eight years, I continue to be humbled and amazed by what this community has accomplished. What started as a grassroots effort out of storage units here in Austin has grown into a nationwide movement that has impacted over 30,000 children and their families.

Each of those 30,000 children has a unique story of how your support played a critical role in their life when it was most needed.

Like our dear P, who is now finishing up trade school and looking forward to her promising future, thanks to the solid foundation and wraparound support she received from Foster Village as she aged out of the foster care system.

And Grandma T, who has been able to say “yes” to dozens of children with special needs thanks to the therapeutic support of our programs and the provision of critical necessities with each placement.

While our mission has always been to create this village of support for children and families in crisis, the vision tells us to stay that course until the day when foster care is no longer needed. And until that day comes, it is an honor to move this mission forward with all of you, one child and family at a time.

This new year ahead is an opportunity to continue sowing the seeds that we’ve seen grow into life-changing outcomes over the past eight years. And we can have faith in knowing that those seeds are being multiplied tenfold in terms of the generational healing we are so dedicated to.

Your generosity not only impacts the lives of children today, but it also provides the foundation of healing and connection for their children and their grandchildren.

Thank you for joining us in making this transformational mission possible for generations to come!

WITH GRATITUDE & HOPE,

Chrystal Smith

Founder & CEO

IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT FOSTER CARE.

NOT BECAUSE NO ONE IS AVAILABLE TO FOSTER…

BUT BECAUSE IT’Sno longer needed.

WHEN I’M AT FOSTER VILLAGE,

FROM THE BEGINNING...

Foster Village’s vision has been to change the way vulnerable children and families are cared for by surrounding each other with a village of support where everybody has a role to play.

And eventually, to see fewer children entering the system by fighting the generational trauma and isolation at the root of the issues that lead to families being separated in the first place.

Through your faithful support, this vision is becoming a reality, one community at a time.

What began in Austin as a grassroots movement is now raising the bar for how children and families experience foster care across the nation.

Together, you are not just changing outcomes for children and families but creating a world where:

Children’s needs are met by neighbors instead of strangers Trauma is healed instead of furthered

Families are equipped instead of separated Villages, not systems, become the standard—where every child and family has the chance to thrive.

RAISING THE BAR AND RESTORING FAMILIES NATIONWIDE

A common thread in most foster care cases is poverty—both financial poverty and relational poverty. By providing a village of support that equips children and caregivers with tangible, relational, and therapeutic tools, we are seeing multigenerational restoration.

More than 30,000 children across the nation have been served with a holistic village of support and trauma-informed care.

13 home-like resource centers with therapeutic play studios are serving as a hub of support for the community.

74 counties are being served nationwide.

Over 800 volunteers have joined the village of support and built relationships with families experiencing foster care.

More than $14,000,000 in direct support has been provided to children and families experiencing foster care nationwide.

FOSTER VILLAGE AFFILIATE LOCATIONS:

• Austin, TX

• Charlotte, NC

• Corpus Christi, TX

• DFW, TX

• East Tennessee

• Houston, TX

• MD Capital Region

• Memphis, TN

• Northeast KS

• North Texas

• Peoria, IL

• SW Florida

• Waco, TX

FROM A DREAM AND A STORAGE UNIT TO NATIONAL IMPACT

In just eight years, you have grown the village from a single storage unit to a national community of support surrounding entire families with holistic connection and care.

2016 2017

Started in storage unit to meet critical needs of children entering foster care

Fulfilled 600 requests through grassroots efforts in the first year

First resource center launched in Dripping Springs

First of its kind in U.S.

2018 2020 2024

First affiliate launched

Foster Village receives nationwide acclaim

Second resource center launched - North Austin

Continued program growth and need for therapeutic services

Over 74 counties served nationwide

North Austin resource center growing beyond current capacity

WE BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN FAMILIES IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM AND THOSE WHO WANT TO HELP, CREATING A VILLAGE OF SUPPORT BEYOND THE SYSTEM.

FOSTER VILLAGE LAUNCHES

WHY WE care

IT’S HARD TO BE A CHILD IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM

GRIEF

Separated from parents, siblings, and friends, children lose everything that is familiar to them.

LOSS OF BELONGING

Even in loving foster families, children often lack a sense of belonging and stability.

TRAUMA AND ABUSE

Every child in foster care has known trauma. When left untreated, trauma can lead to lifelong struggles.

THERE ARE NEARLY 400,000 CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE IN THE US

AND IT’S HARD TO BE A CAREGIVER IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM

EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION

Caring for children who have experienced trauma can be allconsuming and requires skills beyond traditional parenting.

LACK OF SUPPORT

Very few support services exist to directly equip those caring for children in foster care.

ISOLATION

Because foster care lacks the sense of family normalcy that every parent and child desires, connection with others who “get it” is critical.

BEHIND THE SCENES, THE CYCLE IS DRIVEN BY GENERATIONAL TRAUMA AND ISOLATION.

They have children they are ill-equipped to parent

Devastating outcomes like homelessness, trafficking, and substance abuse ensue

Child experiences abuse and/or neglect

Child enters the foster care system

They suffer from complex PTSD and related challenges

They face lack of support, lack of belonging, and further trauma in the system

Studies show that with children in the child welfare system have experienced foster care themselves. 25-50% of parents

At Foster Village, we believe no one should go through the system alone.

We exist to bridge the gap between those who are looking for accessible support and a community who wants to help, creating a village beyond the system.

setting thestandard

OF CARE

No one is satisfied with our current child welfare system—not the children and families who experience it or the people working within it.

That’s why we need a village beyond the system, where practical needs are met and holistic support is available so families can break generational cycles of adversity.

OUR THREE PILLARS OF SUPPORT CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN FAMILIES EXPERIENCING FOSTER CARE AND THOSE WHO WANT TO HELP:

EQUIP CHILDREN AND CAREGIVERS WITH ESSENTIAL RESOURCES

At Foster Village resource centers, families can get beds, car seats, clothing, school supplies, therapeutic tools, and other basic necessities—completely free. Each is uniquely chosen and assembled in a trauma-informed, home-like, developmentallyappropriate environment.

CONNECT CAREGIVERS TO SUSTAINING SUPPORT.

Foster, kinship, reunifying, and adoptive caregivers are navigating a complex system and challenges that are unique to foster care. By connecting them with other families walking the same path, as well as trusted experts, they are strengthened and empowered to continue the difficult and often isolating foster care journey.

ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE IN THE SYSTEM.

The reasons a child ends up in foster care are many, which is why full-circle change is needed. At Foster Village, we work to elevate the voices of the children and families in the trenches and invite the community to be part of bridging the many gaps these families face. Together we build awareness and access to the tools needed to end generational cycles of adversity. It takes all of us to create a better future for the next generation.

2024 Updates

SETTING THE STANDARD OF CARE

In 2024, in the five counties in and surrounding Austin, Foster Village served:

1,860

KIDS

744

FAMILIES

Project SOOTHe remains a vital resource for families caring for children with sensory processing challenges, equipping them with tools and techniques that truly make a difference for their whole family.

100% 75% OF CAREGIVERS feel more knowledgeable about sensory processing after working with the Project SOOTHe program.

OF CAREGIVERS reported either a moderate or significant change in their child’s behavior after working with the Project SOOTHe program.

We expanded our “Seize the Play” opportunities to become therapeutic support gatherings for kids and caregivers, where they can connect and navigate these challenges alongside one another.

LIGHTING THE WAY FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

In 2024, we grew our monthly Caregiver Support Gatherings, hosting 124 families at six monthly gatherings with connection and learning opportunities led by peers and mental health professionals.

100%

100% OF CAREGIVERS feel more supported after joining us at a gathering.

100% OF CAREGIVERS notice a change in their child’s behavior since beginning the Therapeutic Support Program.

RAISING THE BAR FOR COMMUNITIES

OF CAREGIVERS feel more connected to other caregivers after joining us for a gathering.

This year, Foster Village partnered with Graceful Spaces Organizing & Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility to launch a new teen resource room stocked with essentials for teens in foster care. This boutique shopping experience is equipping teens right at the courthouse, reminding them that there is a community beyond the system who cares.

Our affiliate program continues to deepen and widen, with Foster Village locations serving 74 counties nationwide. Each location is separately funded and governed, with a shared mission, programs, and framework driving us forward together.

Since 2016, the Foster Village mission has served 30,000 children and their caregivers nationwide.

OVER

TOGETHER, WE’VE MADE LIFE BETTER FOR 11,000

children served in Austin

OF CHILDREN. thousands

SINCE 2016...

OVER

$6.5 Million in direct support to children and families in crisis

SUPPORTED OVER

580 successful family reunifications

16,200 Hours of professional therapeutic support to sustain caregivers navigating complex trauma PROVIDED OVER 98% of caregivers said that the support they received from Foster Village helped them to continue caring for the children in their homes

I think Foster Village uniquely understands and supports the WHOLE family—the foster family, relatives, and biological family. And they understand the tensions and complexities of doing that. These children and families are connected to us, and we are connected to them.

The best outcomes for everyone happen when we realize the healing power of love. Foster Village exemplifies that.

- FOSTER MOTHER

This is an organization that is on the front lines, in a position to create sustainable change in how our community’s children experience foster care.

- PROFESSIONAL IN THE FIELD

Without the donations you all provide, our moms would have a much more difficult time obtaining the essential items to meet their children’s basic needs. Because of you guys, they can use safe car seats, they can care for their children without worrying about a stroller or high chair, and they can stop worrying about how they are going to get clothes for their child(ren). They have a few comfort items that they would not have otherwise had. You guys directly help us address child safety issues AND you demonstrate to these women that someone cares about them. We talk about your amazing organization in drug court all the time. I just love to think of the generosity making it possible for you all to expand the wonderful services you offer. Each and every one of you has been amazing to work with! Thank you for the difference you ALL make.

- JILL STUTTS, CHILD ADVOCACY SPECIALIST, CASA OF TRAVIS COUNTY

Gatherings are far and away the best place to sit around a table of people who understand the madness we signed ourselves up for and empathize that sometimes (all the time) it’s really hard.

- FOSTER/ADOPTIVE PARENT

Foster Village is a great, helpful option that we rely on to help our youth in times of uncertainty and need. Being able to request items from Foster Village has always been a good experience. They are always so helpful! From helping pick out clothes for a family of six kids, to helping reunifying families with necessary items, it’s an enormous help to have. They are always so kind and willing to listen to exactly what each family can benefit from. I always enjoy my time interacting and communicating with the team at Foster Village.

- PROFESSIONAL IN THE FIELD

We became foster parents at the beginning of this year, and Foster Village has been a tremendous support system. Not only did they help when we first welcomed our child, but they have been a continuing resource! Our family goes to the monthly caregiver support gatherings, and we love them!

- FOSTER PARENT

The monthly group has helped give me an outlet to meet with others who are in similar situations with biological families. I would never have been able to support my babies’ birth mom without this group. The friendships created and the ability to know I have others to reach out to when I struggle have been so wonderful.

- FOSTER/ADOPTIVE PARENT AND PIP PARTNER PARENT

WHAT IF EVERY CHILD WAS SURROUNDED BY A VILLAGE OF HOLISTIC SUPPORT?

Over the last eight years, you’ve shown what a community united in love and care for our vulnerable neighbors can accomplish—from meeting basic needs in Austin to serving families in 74 counties across the nation.

While we celebrate how far we’ve come, we are spurred on by those who are still longing for a village of support around them.

And we are inspired to do more…to not quit until a world where foster care is no longer needed becomes a reality.

THROUGH YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND GENEROSITY, WE CAN:

• Raise the bar for how vulnerable children and families experience foster care.

• Expand who we see as family—not just those under our own roof, but those in our community.

• Address generational cycles of poverty at the source and prevent children from ending up in foster care.

• Transform the outcomes for our vulnerable neighbors through healthy connection and resources.

WHEN YOU GIVE TO FOSTER VILLAGE THIS YEAR, YOU WILL:

• Ensure that every child entering foster care has access to the critical programs and support available through Foster Village.

• Make it possible for siblings to be placed together with relatives by providing essential items like beds, car seats, and clothing.

• Sustain caregivers in providing safe and stable care for children in our community who have experienced abuse and/or neglect.

• Build a permanent resource center in North Austin, allowing us to serve more children and families in the community and raising the bar for how families experience foster care.

ANNUAL REVENUE BY YEAR THIS IS WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER.

THIS IS THE

a village.

GOAL 1,800,000* 2,000,000* 1,607,000 *excluding capital campaign funds

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY

REVENUE SOURCES FOR 2024

• PROGRAMS

• FUNDRAISING

• OPERATIONS

*actuals based on submitted 2023 IRS Form 990

• FUNDRAISERS

• INDIVIDUALS

• FOUNDATIONS

• CHURCHES

• CORPORATIONS

• IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS

• DONOR ADVISED FUNDS

• EARNED REVENUE & INTEREST

YOU CAN CREATE A WORLD WHERE FOSTER CARE IS NO LONGER NEEDED.

Imagine the foster care system as the current of a river, pulling vulnerable children and families along to tragic outcomes.

At the headwaters are isolation and poverty. And as children are born into this stream of generational trauma, they are often carried from foster care into homelessness, human trafficking, incarceration, and other negative cycles.

While addressing any one of these challenges can make life better for an individual, if we want to see society-wide change, we must go upstream and stop children from entering this pipeline to begin with.

A VILLAGE BEYOND THE SYSTEM IS HOW WE DO THIS.

The village you have created is a bridge between those who want to help and the children and families who need our support….

…a bridge where no more children fall through the cracks, where trauma reduction and community care become the norm, and where every child and family can thrive.

We each have a role to play.

Together, we can raise the bar and create a new world for vulnerable children and families.

WILL YOU INVEST IN THE NEXT CHAPTER OF FOSTER VILLAGE AND ENSURE BRIGHTER OUTCOMES FOR