Carly Souza remembers her parents helping people—babysitting for single moms, carpooling kids to school, and becoming extended family for kids who didn’t have any nearby.
This seed of Christlike servanthood germinated in her heart, blossoming into fruitful ministry as an adult. Carly and her husband decided to foster children. They have nine kids now, six of whom the couple has adopted out of the foster care system.
This love for kids in need spread to others at Hope Church in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the Souzas have worshipped and served for the past 20 years. Even Senior Pastor Scott Worthington, who served as worship pastor at the time, got involved with the county foster care system.
Eventually Souza was brought on staff to steward Fostering Hope, the church’s ministry to foster families, children and biological parents. It currently supports 512 foster families in Clark County, Nevada; nearly 50 of those families attend Hope Church itself.
This help looks like weekly gatherings where foster families inside and outside the church can find mutual support with other foster families. Those in particular need of aid are assigned “Care Communities,” a group of six to eight volunteers that closely walk alongside a foster family for one year.
“Typically, 50% of families don’t foster beyond the one-year mark because it is exceptionally challenging to do without support. The data shows that when a family is wrapped [in love by] a Care Community, two years later 90% of those families are either still actively fostering or have adopted the child in their home,” Souza explains.
Additionally, the church started Hannah’s Closet, a ministry where foster families are resourced with donated clothes, diapers and other items. Hope Church pays rent for the shop and has volunteers staff the store.
“I think that we were able to prove to the community that we’re in this for the long haul. It doesn’t matter what your belief system is, what your background is, if you’re a part of the county, a part of another church in our community, or just a family that’s not related to either of those things, our goal is to engage with you and to support you,” says Souza.