You Can Help Oregon’s Foster Care Crisis

On any given day, there are 7,000 children in Oregon’s foster care system. Many of these children come from situations of abuse and neglect only to find themselves facing uncertainty and instability once they enter foster care.

Boys & Girls Aid, a nonprofit founded in Portland in 1885, wants to change that. We are looking for compassionate people to help improve the lives of children in foster care.

A good foster home is often the first place a child in foster care has felt safe in a long time. Foster parents help children build trust in adults and provide a supportive environment where they can thrive.

Boys & Girls Aid supports foster parents with responsive program staff available 24/7, ongoing free professional training, and generous monthly, tax-free stipends ranging from $1,200 to $3,500 per month. There are options to fit every family, from full-time placement to relief care a few days a month.

Fostering children might bring life changes and challenges, but it’s a great opportunity to make a difference in a child’s life — and in your own life, too. “It’s worth it to get to know these kids,” said experienced foster parents Jen and Chad. “It’s enriched our lives a lot.”

To learn more, visit our website: boysandgirlsaid.org/fostercare, or contact Outreach Coordinator Scott Appel at (503) 542-2316 or sappel@boysandgirlsaid.org.