Project Finds Black Families through Baptist Connections
How are you facilitating faith-based recruiting?
How do your roles in the church affect recruitment efforts?
We recruit statewide, using an effective faith community network designed specifically to help us identify potential adoptive and foster parents. Our role as active Baptist ministers gives us credibility and is a major asset in our ongoing recruitment efforts. Formally organized and implemented in 1998, the GBSC Adoption and Foster Care Ministry is a cooperative, collaborative partnership between the GBSC of North Carolina and the state DSS. Our mandate is to identify African American singles and couples who are interested in becoming adoptive or foster parents, and to advocate, motivate, and stimulate interest among members of various faith communities.
How do you achieve that mandate?
More than 4,000 predominantly black churches are in the GBSC. With its leaders' endorsement, we make presentations at state-wide meetings, and ask moderators-who are each responsible for 15 to 30 churches-to recommend the project to their pastors. We have found that pastors are the best way to get into churches; with their blessings, you will more than likely succeed. When a pastor expresses interest, we ask him to appoint a volunteer project coordinator; pastors rarely have time to do the work themselves.
Once a church is involved, one of our 10 paid pastoral consultants attends a Sunday service to welcome congregants to the Ministry. The pastoral consultant presents a certificate commending the church's involvement, introduces the congregation's volunteer coordinator, and talks briefly about adoption and foster care. Three full-time staff continually involve more moderators, pastors, and churches. We have a booth at every Baptist conference or workshop throughout the year. Two pages of every GBSC newsletter include a spotlight on an active minister, photolistings of waiting children, and an interest form. At the 2000 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day banquet, we presented plaques to pastors and moderators who contributed to the Ministry. Our ongoing visibility brings additional credibility and exposure. More than 100 churches now participate.
Are you involved in any other faith communities?
The Ministry recently developed an outreach arm-North Carolina African American Faith Communities United for Children: Adoption and Foster Care. Our goal is to learn the structure of other denominations such as Episcopal, Methodist, Catholic, and Holiness, work from the top down, and recruit in those communities. We organized an advisory committee and requested each of the cooperating communities to designate volunteers to work with us on the church, region, and state levels.
What do volunteers do? How do you support them?
What works in one denomination or church does not always work in another. Our 180 volunteers know the culture of their own churches and work within them. Volunteers know their pastors and can schedule presentations for our staff or make them themselves. They are also ongoing contacts for the congregation-members can ask questions, fill out interest cards, and learn where to get more information. Continuing telephone contacts and occasional visits with volunteers are essential. Meeting in their home church from time to time boosts the relationship. Our pastoral consultants train volunteers, provide materials, share ideas and goals, and engage in mutual problem solving. We also reimburse all expenses.
What techniques most effectively spread the word about the need for families?
When approaching a faith community, a recruiter should know something about it, including a notion of the congregation's educational and economic levels. We prefer group presentations with time for questions. Supportive scriptures are always useful. We also want the congregation to know who waiting children are-photolisting books and flyers can be shared before, during, and after presentations.
Do you partner with any other groups?
Our project is successful because we open as many doors as possible. We partner with the state NAACP and the North Carolina Association of Black Social Workers. NAACP representatives frequently speak at community events. They now mention the Ministry's mission in every presentation. Many of the Association of Black Social Workers' members are employed at the county level. They help keep families and children moving when the Ministry makes referrals. Typically, members of these groups are also affiliated with their own church and can help us get connected.
What is the value of recruiting families from the faith community? How should a recruiter start?
Churches of all faiths are natural recruitment outlets-they preach and teach about love, caring, and being there for people in need. The Holy Bible speaks of Christ's love for all children. We, as believers, are responsible to love all children as Christ loves us. Faithful or spiritual persons are caring, loving, patient, understanding, honest, and real. They relate well and bonding with children seems to be easier. To get started with a new community, we have used two approaches. The best is to seek support from senior religious leaders-understand the denominational structure and protocol, then work within it. Another effective approach is to work with local pastors. Establish one-on-one contacts with key people, including laity, then share your goals in order to recruit them to work with you.
To learn more, contact Reverend Horton at 919-733-3801.
