The first time we hosted 6 year old Grace* she lived with us for 2 months. She came to us on November 2, 2018, her Halloween princess costume still on, tattered and very dirty. We learned that she had been sleeping in the dog park with her parents and younger sister, getting sprayed on every night from the sprinkler system. She arrived very timid, nervous, shy, and not a smile to be found. Her parents called Safe Families for Children (SFFC) the day before asking for help. They wanted to address their homelessness, visit local agencies, and complete applications, but it was difficult to do so with 2 young girls. As a host family for SFFC, we received a call about Grace inquiring if we could temporarily give her a safe place to stay. We said yes. Our family of 5 (2 parents and 3 lively boys ages 10, 8 and 6) temporarily became a family of 6.
Each and every child we have hosted, and the families we have met, have shaped us into who we are today. Upon Root and Splendor’s founding, we decided that we would donate 10% of our profits to SFFC. Each and every one of your purchases makes a difference in the lives of a vulnerable child.
Safe Families for Children (SFFC) is a national not-for-profit ministry dedicated to walking alongside families in crisis and voluntarily hosting their children while providing support and encouragement to the parents as they tackle homelessness, addiction or other challenges. The primary goal of SFFC is to keep these families intact and the children out of the foster care system. Parents ask for help, maintain all their parental rights, can visit and make phone calls, and the children go back living with the parents when they determine the time is right.
Hosting can be challenging. It can add chaos to our already full days, it can be more expensive as we have an extra mouth to feed, logistically it can be messy, and it breaks our heart in ways we hadn’t hurt before. Hosting makes us realize we need help from our community, but at the same time shapes us into who we are meant to be. The joys from hosting are abundant.
To step in the gap for a family in crisis, and to do what we can to keep a family intact, has eternal value and purpose. The kindness and love that we get to show can be just the sliver of hope this family needs to keep them going forward. You have the opportunity to show a child what other families look like, you get to provide a safe, warm and dry place for the child to sleep, you get to show them how many people really do care, you get to pray for the child, get to know him/her, and even have the opportunity to stay in relationship with the child forever. It is practical, it is real, it is mission work in your own home. By stepping into this role, you get to experience what true, sacrificial love looks like and grow more into who you were created to be. It has made our family the best versions of ourselves.
Besides hosting children, there are other and just as valuable ways to get involved with SFFC. One necessary role is in supporting the host families, such as occasionally providing a meal, extra snacks or even some clothes. (For example, within an hour of Grace coming home with us, we had 2 huge bags of hand me down girl clothes for her delivered by friends who wanted to help). You can also serve SFFC by giving financially to the organization. If you have any questions or want to know how you can be involved, please contact SFFC directly at safe-families.org or email me at hello@rootandsplendor.com. Thank you for your continued support of Root and Splendor and thank you for the role you play in helping vulnerable children.
*name changed to protect identity
