ABOUT

Our Mission

Foster Community exists to support communities and strengthen families.

We are a network of nonprofits, government agencies and community leaders dedicated to enhancing community support for families involved in or at risk of involvement with the child welfare system.

Our vision is to see all communities come together to keep kids safe, secure, and as close to home as possible.

Our History

Foster Community was born out of the Travis County Collaborative for Children (TCCC), a bold and ambitious initiative that works to bring system wide change to the way foster children in Travis County are cared for during, and after, their time in state custody.

2017
Launched through Mission Capital in the fall of 2017 with support from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Foster Community is a network of nonprofits, government agencies and community leaders dedicated to increasing the number and diversity of healing foster and adoptive families in Central Texas.
2018
In 2018, Partnerships for Children took on the role of backbone support for Foster Community and began to build a team of individuals from diverse backgrounds to continue the Foster Community movement.
2019
Foster Community continued their foster care outreach efforts by increasing the number of non profit partner organizations that support children in care, hosted multiple information sessions in diverse communities, and attended countless events to bring awareness to the need for more engagement in foster care and adoption in Central Texas.

Using a grassroots community engagement strategy, a centralized website, and collaborative recruitment materials, Foster Community seeks to amplify the efforts of its partner organizations while reaching new populations to support children and their families in the child welfare system or risk of involvement in the child welfare system.

Our Staff

Chelsy

Chelsy earned her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of North Texas in 2009. During her time in undergraduate studies she began her work in the social service field with Communities in Schools and also spent time working with Collin County Children’s Advocacy Center in various roles. She earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work from The University of Houston in 2011. From there she continued to work with children and families in multiple capacities including Baylor College of Medicine Community Programs and Texas Children's Hospital. Most recently, she worked as the Family Development Coordinator for The Settlement Home for Children, Foster Care and Adoption Program where her efforts went towards recruiting and training potential foster/adoptive families.

As the Director of Foster Community, you can find Chelsy, engaging communities, raising awareness surrounding the needs of families within the child welfare system, and building relationships with amazing organizations that are serving the foster care and adoption community. Chelsy is most passionate about seeing the child welfare system transformed by enhancing community support. With the rates of disproportionality steadily increasing, she wants to be a part of making the change so children can stay as close to home as possible.

When Chelsy is not working, she spends a lot of time trying to TBRI her entire family, including herself. Chelsy and her husband moved from Houston four years ago after they had their second child and adopted two children all within six months of each other. They have five children total; two bonus kids, AJ and Olivia and three biological children, Bailey, Preston and Landon. As an adoptive parent, she understands the details of the licensing process and the unique style of parenting that is utilized when raising children who have been in foster care. She understands the supports parents and caregivers need to help their children be successful, but more importantly, the support needed to keep their own sanity. Her family is absolutely everything and her faith is what motivates it all.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Look at these stories and know what a difference it makes to be a service volunteer, an emergency placement home, or a long-term foster home for a child in need.

Alexandria

Formerly in Foster Care

As a youth formerly in foster care, Alexandria expresses why volunteers can make a huge difference in a child’s life.

Megan

The Settlement Home for Children - Foster Adoption Program Director

Our Partner organizations see first-hand the need for more volunteers and foster families in Central Texas. There are so many ways you can help.

Isabel

Volunteer

Isabel has been a bed time reader at Helping Hand Home for 12 years. She thinks volunteers bring hope to the children.

Kristen & Ryan

Foster Parents

Kristen and Ryan White talk about adopting their fourth child and continuing to foster children in the community.

Jessica

Foster Mom

Children placed in foster care experience a significant amount of trauma. Jessica discusses how trauma-informed training helped equip her to become a foster mom.

Isaac

Former Foster Parent

Mr. Joaquin was a foster parent to more than 250 children over a 21 year period. He is very grateful for the love and energy that the children gave him and his wife.