Become a Foster or Adoptive Parent

You can make a big difference in a little one’s life by becoming a foster or adoptive parent. Learn more about Indiana’s foster and adoption process at Adopt US Kids.

We lead an active Facebook group of more than 5,000 members, and we plan to branch out to other social platforms to reach as many Indiana foster and adoptive families as possible. We invite you to request membership in our Facebook group so you can be part of the conversation and support our mission to offer open hearts, loving homes, and endless potential.

We know that being a foster or adoptive family is both rewarding and challenging. Sharing our stories helps other foster and adoptive families connect with our joy and know they are not alone.

It also helps us inform and educate our neighbors, caregivers, and policymakers about the important and sometimes difficult role of fostering and adopting, and how they can support us. 

You may have already shared part of your story in our Facebook group. We are grateful for your contribution to that conversation! With this form, we aim to formalize our story-gathering to help us in our communication, support, and advocacy. 

With your permission, we may use your story on our website, in marketing and communications, and in presentations and training with educators, caregivers, and policymakers.

Please note: Not all stories will be used. We will select those stories that best represent our shared joys, challenges, and priorities. Thank you for choosing to get involved in this way!

A big THANK YOU to Representatives Alan Morrison and Bob Heaton for meeting today with our AWESOME MEMBERS. We discussed our three priorities going into 2018:

1. Invest & Protect
   • Child care financial assistance, where we shared results of our IFAAP survey feedback that many foster parents would take, or consider taking, more children if there were funding for child care
   • Car seat safety and certification, to prevent car seat-related tragedies like Major Maxie’s
2. Trauma-Informed Care (TIC)
   • We discussed the importance of having school and day care personnel TIC-trained so they know how to best work with children who have experienced trauma and are unable to effectively communicate their feelings
   • We highlighted the value of becoming a TIC state to attract providers and facilities who specialize in TIC
3. Follow the Fed
   • Talked about the importance of adhering to the SAFE Families Act termination guidelines to get children into permanent homes more quickly to give them stability

We also highlighted some of the issues the Department of Child Services is facing, how it affects the children, and our recommendations for closing those gaps. We walked away from our meeting feeling that we had been heard, and that our representatives had a much better understanding of our challenges and solutions.

Pictured from left to right are Mike and Amy Brown Cunningham, Lisa Hughes, Representative Morrison, Antoinette Williams, and Kristi Cundiff, IFAAP Administrator and CEO. Not pictured: Representative Bob Heaton and his wife, Jane Ann Heaton.

November 14, 2017November 6, 2017 by Kristi_Cundiff

J. Kelly Hoey, author of Build Your Dream Network and renowned investor, strategic advisor, and networking expert, used her recent travels to Indiana to host a dinner for IFAAP members at Buca di Beppo in Indianapolis. Kelly shared her secrets for building a dream network, as well as several development ideas to help our nonprofit grow.

We deeply appreciate Kelly’s support and generosity, and plan to schedule her for a future fundraising event. Keep an eye on our Events Calendar and Facebook Group for details.

Categories Events, Get Involved, NetworkingTags Events, NetworkingLeave a comment

IFAAP CEO Kristi Cundiff speaks at Northside Community UMC.

 Pastor Clark Cowden and his amazing congregation for welcoming the IFAAP Clothing Closet into their church. I am so excited for support and future activities at Northside for Foster and Adoptive Children and the families who care for them. Proverbs 16:3 (ESV)

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

October 30, 2017September 25, 2017 by Kristi_Cundiff

Our Meeting at the Governor’s Office was AMAZING! We met with a key member of Governor Holcomb‘s staff, Mr. John Hammond, who oversees the operations of Indiana’s Department of Child Services, as well as other agencies. It was one of the most productive meetings yet! In the our meeting we discussed the following IFAAP priorities:

1. Invest & Protect
   • Child care financial assistance, where we shared results of our IFAAP survey feedback that many foster parents would take, or consider taking, more children if there were funding for child care, and how the CANS assessment was never designed to put a cost on taking care of a child
   • Car seat safety and certification, to prevent car seat-related tragedies like Major Maxie’s
2. Trauma-Informed Care (TIC)
   • We discussed the importance of having school and day care personnel TIC-trained so they know how to best work with children who have experienced trauma and are unable to effectively communicate their feelings
   • We highlighted the value of becoming a TIC state to attract providers and facilities who specialize in TIC
3. Follow the Fed
   • Talked about the importance of DCS adhering to the SAFE Families Act termination guidelines to get children into permanent homes more quickly to give them stability

We also touched on the opioid epidemic and moms who are having multiple children. As we finished, we talked about meeting with Mr. Hammond and DCS officials every three months to be problem solvers. Our voices are being heard!

Categories Advocacy, Follow the Fed, Invest & Protect, Trauma-Informed CareTags 2018 Priorities, Advocacy, Car Seat Safety and Certification, Child Care Financial Assistance, Governor Holcomb, SAFE Families Act, Trauma-Informed CareLeave a comment

November 14, 2017November 8, 2017 by Kristi_Cundiff

IFAAP Founder and CEO, Kristi Cundiff, spoke with the Warren Township Republican Club tonight about IFAAP’s priorities and how people can help.

For a summary of the meeting, view this post on the Warren GOP Club website.

Categories 2018 Priorities, Advocacy, SpeakingTags 2018 Priorities, Advocacy, Foster & Adoption Speaking, Warren Township RepublicansLeave a comment

Kristi Cundiff is scheduled to speak on foster & adoptive parent priorities.