FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pastor Robert Griffith, Virginia, Shares How Faith Communities Build Sustainable Foster Care Support
Virginia — Pastor Robert Griffith, Virginia, has worked with churches long enough to see what fails and what lasts. In foster care ministry, enthusiasm alone rarely sustains families. Support systems do.
Griffith, a Virginia based pastor, professor, and nonprofit founder, focuses on sustainability. His work centers on how churches organize volunteers, partner with agencies, and reduce burnout among foster parents.
“Foster care efforts are strained when support depends on a few people doing everything,” said Griffith. “In contrast, it thrives when many people do something specific.”
Griffith’s experience spans pastoral leadership and academic training. He has served churches in the Washington, DC region, the West Coast, and the Midwest. He teaches leadership and practical theology at Southeastern University. In each setting, he studies how systems shape outcomes.
According to Griffith, churches often start with good intentions but lack operational clarity. Volunteers step in without defined roles. Communication stays informal and as a result, support fades after initial placements.
Griffith advocates for simple, repeatable structures. Churches assign coordinators. Teams handle meals, transportation, and respite care. Clear schedules replace last minute requests.
He stresses partnership with local agencies. When churches work with existing systems in the community everyone is stronger. Training aligns with state requirements. Communication remains consistent.
“There is an opportunity today for the churches to support current foster families and cheer them on.” Griffith said.
The nonprofit he founded, 1Hope Together, helps churches design these frameworks. He also recommends a national organization www.backyardorphans.org that will assess how each church can take a step forward in doing something to help. The organization trains leaders to assess capacity before recruiting families. This approach protects foster parents from isolation.
Griffith emphasizes shared responsibility. Not every church member is able to be a foster home. Everyone, however, can participate in some form of care. This model reduces pressure and increases retention.
Research supports his approach. Studies show foster families supported by community networks experience lower stress and remain licensed longer. Griffith integrates this data into training.
His work also addresses leadership culture. When pastors speak about foster care as core discipleship, engagement increases. When leaders model involvement, volunteers follow.
“People often take cues from what leaders prioritize,” Griffith said. “Silence signals optional.”
Griffith’s advocacy has reached national platforms. Outreach Magazine, K Love radio, and members of Congress have highlighted his work. Still, his focus remains local.
He mentors university students and collaborates with church leaders across Virginia. His goal stays practical. Build systems. Share load. Protect families.
Griffith also draws from personal experience. His own journey into foster care involved doubt and disruption. That reality informs his teaching.
“I did not walk into this confident,” he said. “I walked in committed to help.”
His book, Fostering Jesus, reflects these principles. It outlines how churches shift from reactive charity to organized care. While the book offers theological context, it also emphasizes action.
“Scripture gives direction,” he said. “Thoughtful systems create a love in action that helps make obedience in this area a reality.”
Griffith also believes sustainable foster care support shapes church credibility. Communities notice when care persists after the spotlight of an event or a message fades.
“Consistency builds trust,” he said. “Families feel it. Agencies see it.”
As churches across Virginia seek ways to serve vulnerable children, Griffith offers a clear message. Sustainable foster care depends on planning, shared effort, and leadership alignment.
“People want to help,” Griffith said. “Give them structure, and they will.”
For more information, visit www.FosteringJesus.org.
