CAFA is a non-profit mental health agency dedicated to making the world safer for children by equipping the adults in their lives with knowledge and skills to better partner, parent, and live. We are committed to bringing the healing power of Jesus to individuals, families, and communities through counseling, education and support programs.
In 2015, we launched Safe Families for Children (SFFC) program to serve as a lifeline for vulnerable families in crisis, to help reduce homelessness, child abuse & neglect, and the number of children entering the child welfare system.
In 2023, we launched Safe Families Plus (SF+) in response to the alarming rise in youth homelessness in Lane County. SF+ serves youth ages 14-24 by providing a gospel-centered network of support of trusted adult mentors and temporary host families designed to prevent youth from experiencing trafficking, substance abuse, incarceration and homelessness. Recruiting these mentors and host families, however, is a challenge.
To address this SF+ is expanding our partnerships with churches to include training of youth pastors, youth workers and Christian educators to become better equipped to recognize mental health concerns, signs of grooming and risk factors for trafficking and instability. They will learn practical techniques to build trust, relate more effectively to youth, and offer meaningful support. In addition, they will have direct access to consultation from CAFA mental health professionals and have a streamlined referral pathway to SF+ services. In turn, they will help connect SF+ to potential host families and Circle of Support volunteers from within their churches, which are key components to expanding and sustaining safe housing options.
The Brighter Days Giving grant is critical to advancing this church-based expansion of SF+, by funding a focused initiative to equip youth pastors, recruit new volunteers and ensure more youth are safely housed and consistently mentored within a gospel-centered support system. This grant will significantly deepen the Church’s role in prevention, restoration, and care, extending the love of Christ to the young people who need it most.