WHO WE ARE

Defend the Fatherless (DTF) is a 501(c)3 organization founded to help lessen the burdens of local foster and adoptive families. We aim to be one more reason for families to say, "Yes!" to the fatherless by addressing the physical, emotional, spiritual, educational, and financial needs of the families we serve.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE (by God's grace and with our amazing community!)

For the past five years DTF has served over 1,000 children across our various programs. The ministry began in February 2016 with the opening of the The York County Foster Closet, which provides immediate needs such as clothing, baby equipment, diapers, and additional necessities to foster and adoptive families free-of-charge. But we soon realized more was needed to better support these families. We first added a program to offer home-made meals and then we began planning connection and children’s events to help provide families support and relief.

During 2020, despite the challenges of COVID, and as a result of generous community support, we continued the programs above AND safely expanded the ministry in the following ways:

Began offering no-cost tutoring
Awarded our first Annual Adoption Grant (and in 2021 we already awarded TWO more adoption grants!)
Provided Summer Fun Baskets (over 60 children were blessed during the season of COVID restrictions)
Offered Back to School Support including backpacks, school supplies, blankets, and gift cards
Facilitated a Santa's Helper Christmas partnership with York County DSS and collected over $24,000 in gift cards to provide to foster parents so they could hand-select gifts for the 130 foster children in their care!

WHERE WE HOPE TO GO (by God's grace and with our amazing community!)

Throughout the past 5 years, we have grown in ministry and our understanding of the needs of the foster and adoptive community we serve. We now recognize the need for a stand-alone space to best provide our existing services and to enhance the connection opportunities that the foster and adoptive families we serve are desperately seeking.

A stand-alone space will allow us to continue our existing ministry and also:

Provide a safe and welcoming space where foster and adoptive families can gather in community on a regular basis for coffee meet ups, play dates, bible studies, support groups, etc.
Offer open business hours for The York County Foster Care Closet
Have a safe place for our Tutors and students to meet
Work to build a partnership with a Trauma-Informed Counselor for on-site services
Allow us to host more family connection and children-only respite events

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

We are looking to either purchase or rent a small house in York County. Will you prayerfully consider financial partnership with us to help offset the associated increase in monthly costs? Ongoing monthly giving is the best way to help us move forward to a stand-alone space, but we absolutely appreciate one-time gifts as well. Either way you are able to help, your financial contribution is extremely helpful and greatly appreciated!

Your prayers for us to continue to submit to God’s leading for how we can best wrap around foster and adoptive families is also deeply valued.

THANK YOU

From the team of volunteers at Defend the Fatherless, we thank you in advance for your ongoing support of the families in our community who are taking in the fatherless!

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” James 1:27a

Defend the Fatherless is a 501(c)3 and is registered in the state of SC. EIN 84-2625009.

www.defendthefatherless.org

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5 Year Birthday Celebration - Can you help us move so we can expand our services?

By Defend the Fatherless

5 Year Birthday Celebration - Can you help us move so we can expand our services?

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