Fostering hope

A Crosspointe Church volunteer gives a camper an archery lesson at the church’s Royal Family Kids’ Camp for children in foster care. Photo provided, August 2011.

To best serve Oklahoma’s poor and disadvantaged, a partnership between the government and faith-based community is indispensable. The 8308 campaign, named for the number of children in DHS custody as of January 1, is taking this approach to address the urgent need for foster families. A statewide conference on Thursday, April 26 will provide information and resources for individuals looking to get involved and churches interested in establishing a foster care or adoption ministry. Journey Church in Norman is hosting the event from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Register at http://www.faithlinksok.org. The conference is free, and lunch is provided. The campaign is a collaborative effort of the Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, 111 Project, SALLT and Sandridge Energy. If you’ve been wondering what you can do to serve Oklahoma’s children, mark your calendar for this opportunity to put your faith in action.