Today, the poor seem to have less of a chance to climb the socioeconomic ladder than ever in America.

One group that is especially vulnerable to this trend is the 400,000 children in foster care in America. But unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like we’re doing much to help them.

My colleague, Kristie Eshelman, attended an event at the American Enterprise Institute last week about the socioeconomic implications for today’s children in America. In her article, she says,

Without a stable family or financial situation, [foster] children often find themselves unable to get a good education or rise above the poverty line as adults.

But since not everyone can adopt or be a foster parent, what should we do? Pastor Aaron Graham said,

Not everyone can adopt, but everyone can care for a child in need.

Many of the speakers argued that the current American foster care system isn’t cutting it—too much cost and too little benefit—and emphasized a need for individuals, families, and churches to step forward and take the lead in fighting for the most vulnerable.

Eshelman says,

Faith, family, community, and work are the pillars of happiness and a prosperous society…If we are truly concerned about increasing mobility in America today…individuals, families, churches and government must come together to provide opportunity-laden environments for the most vulnerable: the thousands of children and teenagers who are currently trapped in an unstable and inadequate system.

If we want the government to step back, we as Christians must step forward. Freedom requires more of us, not less. And that’s a scary thought when you really think about it. It means I’m responsible for helping the vulnerable in my community, not a federal program.

What can you do to help foster children without homes with your church in your community? Read the full article and watch the full video for practical ideas.

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