When Children Sleep in Offices
May 28, 2021When two College Station, TX residents realized the number of children who were sleeping at their local child welfare office due to a lack of available foster care placements, they knew that they needed to do something about it. In this episode, Jenni Olowo and Lauren Falcone share their incredible 3 month journey from seeing the problem, to activating their community and opening The Haven, a temporary home for children and caseworkers to stay while awaiting a foster care placement. Their inspirational story demonstrates how communities can take ownership of the foster care problem in their area and come together to provide a solution.
To Learn More:
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Here are the resources and/or organizations mentioned in this episode:
And be sure to check out the Next Steps Guide to find out more about how BCS Together was able to create The Haven, and how your organization, church, or community can take the next step to do the same in your area!
Key Quote:
"What we preach all the time at BCS Together is that everyone can do something. And I wholeheartedly believe in that and I have seen it . . . the response that we've gotten just fills my heart with so much joy because I'm imagining how these kids are going to feel, how they are going to see that they're not alone." - Lauren Falcone, Director of Community Partnerships, BCS Together
Meet Our Guests
Jenni Olowo
Jenni Olowo is the Executive Director of BCS Together, a nonprofit organization that brings churches and the community together to serve children and families touched by the child welfare system. Her life was radically changed in 2016 when she became a foster parent, opening her eyes to all the brokenness and beauty surrounding the system. She is passionate about educating believers on the many roles that can be played to support children and families in need and helping them take the next best step. She resides in College Station, Texas with her husband and two children they’ve adopted through foster care.
Lauren Falcone
Lauren is a long time resident of College Station and a graduate of Texas A&M. She has been married to her husband, Mike for 15 years. They are the proud parents of three children. Lauren has long been an advocate for children by working through schools and children's groups throughout the BCS area. As an adoptive mother herself, she has a passion for supporting the health and needs of foster and adoptive parents and the children's lives they touch. Lauren is excited to increase community awareness in the BCS area and to help fulfill the needs of the hurting families, foster/adoptive parents and children in our community. Lauren is excited for the opportunity to provide you with information as to how your donations and partnership can result in positive outcomes for children and families in our area.