Getting Started with Springs of Love
Thank you for your interest in bringing Springs of Love to your parish!
Springs of Love is working to build a culture of fostering and adoption within the Catholic Church, where children and families touched by foster care and adoption are welcomed, supported, and surrounded by community.
Every parish has something to offer. Whether it’s raising awareness about foster care and adoption, bringing families together for support and fellowship, or organizing volunteers to provide meals, prayer, and practical help, there are many ways your parish can get involved.
We’ve gathered some resources below to help you learn more about foster care and adoption, the mission of Springs of Love, and the different ways a parish ministry can make a difference.
Your Next Steps
Take some time to explore the videos, articles, and other resources on this page. As you review them, we encourage you to think about the needs of children and families in your community, the people who might want to get involved, and what a Springs of Love ministry could look like in your parish.
Once you’ve reviewed the materials, please complete the interest form at the bottom of the page. We’ll ask you to share a little about yourself, your parish, and your ideas for getting started.
A member of the Springs of Love team will then reach out to discuss next steps and help you begin bringing this ministry to your community.
Understanding Foster Care & Adoption
Before exploring how your parish can get involved, take some time to learn more about foster care and the needs of children and families. The articles and videos below offer an introduction to foster care, different ways people can help, and personal stories from families who have experienced fostering firsthand.
Read: Understand Foster Care
Read: Why Foster Care is a Pro-Life Issue
Read: About Respite Care
Watch: Tori’s Story
Watch: One Big Family
Watch: Love Does Hard Things
Getting to Know Springs of Love
OUR MISSIONSprings of Love believes that the Catholic Church has a special role to play in caring for children and families touched by foster care and adoption.
While not everyone is called to foster or adopt, everyone can do something to help. We work with Catholic parishes across the country to raise awareness, help individuals and families discern a call to foster or adopt, and build communities of support around those who have already said yes.
Through educational resources, personal stories, small groups, and practical opportunities to serve, Springs of Love helps parishes put their faith into action and ensure that foster, adoptive, and kinship families don’t have to walk this journey alone.
Building Belonging: Supporting Families Through Community
One way Springs of Love helps parishes support families is through Building Belonging, our Catholic small-group series for foster, adoptive, and kinship parents, as well as those discerning a call to foster or adopt. Through video stories, prayer, reflection, and group discussion, participants connect with others who understand their experiences and grow together in faith.
Bringing Springs of Love to Your Parish
Every parish is different, and there are many ways to bring the mission of Springs of Love to your community. Some parishes begin by raising awareness about foster care and adoption, while others bring families together for fellowship, offer small groups, or organize volunteers to provide practical support.
Springs of Love encourages parishes to focus on three areas: Awareness, Accompaniment, and Community. Together, these pillars offer a framework for building a parish where children and families touched by foster care and adoption feel welcomed and supported.
Explore the examples below and consider what might be a good starting point for your parish.
Three Pillars of Springs of Love |
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 Accompaniment |
 Community |
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| Helping Catholics understand the needs of children and families touched by foster care and adoption. |
Walking alongside families through discernment, fostering, adoption, and beyond.
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Building parish communities where families find friendship, encouragement, and practical support. |
| • Host a foster care and adoption awareness night • Share foster care information and family stories in parish bulletins, newsletters, and social media • Celebrate Mother Cabrini Sunday with prayers, educational materials, and opportunities to get involved | • Organize Care Teams to provide meals, childcare, transportation, and other practical help • Offer Building Belonging small groups for foster, adoptive, and kinship parents and those discerning • Provide ongoing prayer and encouragement for children and families | • Host family dinners, picnics, and other gatherings for foster, adoptive, and kinship families • Create opportunities for parents to build friendships and share experiences • Plan parish service projects that bring parishioners together to support local families |
AwarenessReady to Take the Next Step?
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about Springs of Love! We’d love to hear a little about you, your parish, and how you hope to get involved.
Complete the form to introduce yourself and share your ideas. Someone from our team will be in touch to help you explore the next steps.
