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Impact Stories

Making The Invisible Visible

In Matthew chapter 25, we are reminded by Jesus that there is a danger for those in greatest need to become invisible to us.  The disciples responded in Matthew 25, “when did we see you….” It is easy for most of us to be moved to action when we hear children in...

It Takes the Whole Family

We often underestimate what an important role our whole plays in hosting children in our home. I was reminded of this when our family recently began hosting a 10-year-old girl. Her transition from her family into our home, though necessary, was quite upsetting for...

What Are We Disrupting?

Two of the main goals of Safe Families are to prevent child abuse and decrease the number of children being forcibly separated from their parents (family preservation).  By doing so, kids are safe and families are preserved. It also reduces the number of kids in...

Resurrecting Hospitality

During the final week of 2007, Chicago was shocked by the actions of a young mother who quietly exited a train with her three-year-old daughter, leaving her two other sons, ages six and four, behind. Fellow passengers frantically attempted to get the mother’s...

Can you fix the frog?

“The problem with our world is we draw the circles of our families too small.” Mother Teresa I discovered the above quote from Mother Teresa when I visited her ministry in Calcutta.  The quote was on the wall of one of her buildings.  When I started Safe...

Walk Me To the Bus Stop

Yesterday, I returned a 10-year-old girl to her mother after my family hosted her for the weekend to give the mom a break. On my way home, I saw an older woman severely hunched over, walking very slowly, carrying a bag of groceries.  She looked like she was in...

Why I Started Safe Families

I recently spoke to a group of employees representing the branch offices of Georgia Pacific. I was honored to share Safe Families. The CEO was interested in their employees serving in the community and a making a difference. I was asked what motivated me to start Safe...

Stepping Forward

It’s been a year or more since my wife and I served in Safe Families. We had taken a break leaning into our own family for a time. We’ve been taking in kids on and off since I started Safe Families 17 years ago. I found I was getting pretty comfortable with not having...

Believe in People

  “What would you do if you had to struggle to put food on the table? How about if you were addicted to drugs and not sure how to break free? What if you were shut out of basically every job you ever applied for? And what if you didn’t know where you would end up...

The Power of Having Someone’s Back

As the COVID-19 pandemic began to unfold around the world, millions of people struggled with lockdowns, unemployment and social distancing. But for one vulnerable group, it hit especially hard: people in recovery already struggling to maintain their sobriety. This was...

A Growing Circle of Support

That’s when Safe Families for Children host mom Carrie* stepped in. Carrie’s family had only been recently trained, background-checked, and approved, but they were up for the challenge when the host opportunity arrived.

Just Being People

About two years ago, one of our host families began a hosting for Brittany*, a young single mom. A natural friendship began, and the families kept in touch with each other after the placement was over. When COVID hit hard in the spring of 2020, Brittany’s small...

Contact Us

To find the chapter closest to you, click "Locations" in the menu.

Safe Families for Children, National Office
4300 W. Irving Park Road
Chicago, IL 60641
info@safefamilies.net
Tel: 773-653-2200 | Fax: 773-355-5564

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