Faith Inspired

Oregon’s faith communities rally valiantly across our state to wrap their arms around the needs of children in care, providing everything from supplies to services to caregiving, parenting and more. We appreciate you all so much! Please reference our TBRI® page for more resources.

Called to Love's annual Foster & Adoptive Mom's Retreat, April 5 - learn more & register here!

Hope for the Journey free TBRI® Conference 2025 simulcast, April 18 & 25, 9am-noon - register now! Links available for parents who cannot attend live.

"Faith-motivated individuals support child welfare and other needs in an array of ways, including giving at significantly higher rates to both faith-based and non-religious charities. Faith communities also provide critical material, emotional, and spiritual support to adoptive, foster, kinship, and biological families." ~Bipartisan Policy Center Report

Local Resources

Boxes of Love
Called to Love Ministry - annual mom retreats!
Embrace Oregon/Every Child
Faithful Friends PDX - church-based mentors for children ages 6-9
The Family Room - provides supervised family time in Portland Metro area
Hands and Feet, Inc. - supporting foster families in Umatilla County
Hannah Grace Family - Oregon City, music lessons & tutoring, visits with birth parents
Jewish Family & Child Services - Portland
Mercy and Healing- adoptee, speaker, writer & parent coach April Guffey in Central Oregon
Safe Families for Children
- Eugene
- Medford
- Portland
- Salem
- Yamhill County
Salem Angels - a chapter of National Angels
Reclaiming Hope Ranch - free horseback sessions for foster & adoptive children, Hillsboro area
Refresh Conference - Pacific NW
Replanted Ministry- Salem area monthly support group for foster & adoptive families!
With Love - resources for babies/young children in foster care

Faith Inspired Authors & Trainers

Melissa Corkum, transracial adoptee & adoptive parent - author & trainer in ORPARC's library
Empowered to Connect, annual conference virtually simulcast by ORPARC! - in ORPARC's library
Isaac Etter & Identity, transracial adoptee - author & trainer in ORPARC's library
Heather T. Forbes, Beyond Consequences Institute, adoptive parent - author & trainer in ORPARC's library
Jillana Goble, adoptive parent - author in ORPARC's library
Deborah D. Gray, Nurturing Attachments - author in ORPARC's library
Lisa Qualls, adoptive parent - author & trainer in ORPARC's library
The Resilient Caregiver with Mike & Kristen Berry, foster adoptive parents - authors & trainers in ORPARC's library
Jessica Sinarski, including Brave Brains & Riley the Brave - author & trainer in ORPARC's library
Suddenly Siblings

Faith Inspired Parenting Resources

Faith-Inspired Materials and Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) Materials) in ORPARC's library

Adoption & Family Culture by Autumn Knapp
Adoption: Recognizing the Loss for All of Us by Lisa Qualls, birth mom & foster adoptive parent - author in ORPARC's library
Adoption Was Beautiful, Precious, & God-Ordained. Then I Adopted. by Kristin T. Lee, adoptive parent
Adoption Wise - authors in ORPARC's library
Autism and Spirituality by The Art of Autism
Beyond Consequences Institute, Heather T. Forbes, adoptive parent - author in ORPARC's library
Bishop Michael Curry on Love & Troubling Times with Brené Brown (podcast)
Brave Brains and Jessica Sinarski - author & trainer in ORPARC's library
Brené Brown's Return to Faith from Jesus Wept (video)
Dear Foster Parent, It Takes Courage to Still Be Here by Gaelin Elmore, adoptee for The Forgotten Initiative
The Forgotten Initiative - supporting the fostering community
Harris Polling Data on Religion & Child Welfare by the Bipartisan Policy Center
I Was a Great Parent: Then I Adopted by Autumn Knapp
Jen Hatmaker's After the Airport, guest blog in In My Child's World: Practical Strategies, Guidance, and Hope for Foster & Adoptive Parents
My Daughter Spoke Words of Grace by Michelle Madrid, transracial adoptee & adoptive parent - author in ORPARC's library
Oregon Mom of 5 Strives to Improve Lives of Foster Children featuring Jillana Goble - author in ORPARC's library
Ransom for Israel
Sara Easterly - adoptee writer - author in ORPARC's library
- The Dangers of Adoptees as Blessings
Struggling with Faith: How Infertility Permanently Affected What I Believe by Threads of Anxiety
To the Adoptive Mom Struggling to Love Her Adoptive Child by Natasha Metzler, adoptive parent
Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) - an ORPARC Resource page - authors in ORPARC's library
An Unexpected Interfaith Family: Fostering a Christian Child by Rabbi James & Jen Greene, foster parents
We All Have RAD by Natasha Metzler, adoptive parent
What Does the Bible Say About Adoption? by Margaret Crouse, adoptee

Culturally specific

The Blessings and Challenges of Interracial Adoption by 401st Prophet
Calling in the Wilderness - transracial adoptee authored blog
- Adoption Was Not God's Plan for Me
Identity Learning with Isaac Etter, transracial adoptee - author in ORPARC's library
The Struggles & Challenges of Muslim Foster Kids by Mozaic
Transracial Adoption, Faith, & Confirmation Bias (with Kristen Howerton, adoptive parent) with Pantsuit Politics

Faith & LGBTQ+

A Christian Conversation Guide & Judaism
Family Acceptance Project Faith-Based Resources - of many faiths
LGBTQ+ Supportive Resources Around Faith & Many Articles
My Kid is Gay - Oregon-based
- Collection of faith-based conversations & articles
- Coming Out & Faith - video
The Rainbow Party - a family of strong faith supports their LGBTQ community

Faith Specific Adoption Resources

Videos & Podcasts

Adoption & the Bible with Amber Jimerson by Lavender Luz Podcast - author in ORPARC's library
The Adoption Wise Podcast - authors in ORPARC's library
Could The Book Of Psalms Help Us Rethink The Fairy-Tale Adoption Narrative? by The Adoptee Next Door Podcast
Empowered to Connect Podcast
Empowered to Connect Video Library
The Forgotten Initiative Podcast
- Finding Wholeness & Healing with April Guffey, local adoptee
Foster the Family Podcast
Grief & Loss in Adoption by Adoption Wise - authors in ORPARC's library (video)
Growing Toward Compassion: Part I Restoring Hope in Broken Places & Part II Trauma, the Brain & Hope by Jessica Sinarski - author & trainer in ORPARC's library
Reducing Shame by Teaching About the Brain by Suddenly Siblings (video)
The Resilient Caregiver Podcast by Mike & Kristen Berry, foster adoptive parents - authors in ORPARC's library
Trauma Informed Parenting Video Series with Cindy Lee - author in ORPARC's library
Truth Talks with Tara Podcast, transracial adoptee - author in ORPARC's library
Understanding Childhood Trauma and Abuse by Tanya Waymire, TedTalk - inspiring talk for sexual abuse survivors
What is Trauma? by Trauma Healing Institute (animated video)

Faith Inspired Favorites

No Sugar Coating: The Coffee Talk You Need About Foster Parenting & A Love Stretched Life by Jillana Goble, local foster adoptive parent

Amazon.com: No Sugar Coating: The Coffee Talk You Need About Foster Parenting eBook: Goble, Jillana: Kindle Store

Faith, Hope, & Connection by Melissa Corkum, transracial adoptee & adoptive parent

Created to Connect by Karyn Purvis

Created to Connect - ebook

Replanted by Jenn Ranter Hook

Reclaim Compassion by Lisa Qualls, birth mom & adoptive parent

What Led Me To You by Carrie Dahlin, local foster adoptive parent

The Adoptive Parent Toolbox by Mike & Kristin Berry, foster adoptive parents

A Practical Guide to Transracial Adoption by Isaac Etter, transracial adoptee

Surrender Your Story by Tara Sun, transracial adoptee

Little Branch Gets Adopted by Sherrie Eldridge, adoptee