Northstar Church is modeling what it looks like for a faith community to truly wrap around kids and families impacted by foster care. From hosting I Belong Project™ video shoots to launching a WRAP ministry, Northstar has woven the call to care for vulnerable children into the fabric of their church.
We are proud to recognize Northstar Church as the 2025 Foster Friendly® Faith Community of the Year.
CREATING SPACE FOR BELONGING
Northstar has opened its doors – literally and figuratively – to the mission of seeing every child find belonging. The church has hosted two I Belong Project™ video shoots, welcoming children in foster care who are legally free for adoption into their space to share their stories. These videos help connect kids with potential adoptive families and raise awareness about the need for permanency and belonging. We’re already seeing placements for kids as a result of their generosity.
Meet some of the incredible kids we’ve filmed at Northstar and learn more about the I Belong Project™ by clicking on the photos below or reading our blog.
LAUNCHING A WRAP MINISTRY AND MORE
Beyond events, Northstar has boldly shared from the pulpit about the needs within foster care and adoption, inspiring their congregation to listen, learn, and respond in faith. By normalizing the conversation on Sundays, Northstar helps more families understand how they can play a role -through fostering, adoption, or supporting those who do.
Out of their growing heart for this mission, Northstar also launched a WRAP ministry, a tangible way to support local foster families. Through Words of Encouragement, Respite Care, Acts of Service, and Prayer, WRAP teams ensure that foster families feel seen and supported in their work. This model allows for volunteers to show up for their neighbors, meeting real needs with compassion and consistency.
CELEBRATING THEIR COMMITMENT TO KIDS
“Our hope is that when a foster or adoptive family visits Northstar, they immediately recognize that this is a Foster Friendly® church… this is a place we want to call home and belong. – Susan Simmerly, Local Sending Coordinator
By partnering with Tennessee Kids Belong and the Foster Friendly® movement, Northstar is helping change the story for kids in foster care, not only through what they say on Sundays, but through how they act out this calling every single day.
Congratulations to Northstar Church for being named Tennessee’s Foster Friendly® Faith Community of the Year. This is well-deserved recognition of their unwavering dedication to children and families who need belonging most.
BECOMING FOSTER FRIENDLY®
Nearly 50% of foster parents stop fostering within the first year due to a lack of community support. Faith communities play a vital role in filling this need to change the experiences and outcomes for kids and families in foster and kinship care.
Faith Communities are uniquely positioned to serve kids in foster care and those who embrace them. Many have compassionate members who feel ready, willing and called to serve vulnerable populations. We challenge faith partners to recognize, share about and impact critical child welfare needs.
