5 Ways You Can Support Foster Children in Jefferson County

Written By RFK Littleton

In the Greater Metro Denver area, the need for foster care support is significant and growing.

Each year, hundreds of children in Jefferson, Arapahoe, & Douglas Counties enter the foster care system, facing challenges and transitions that no child should have to experience alone. Our community has the power to make a significant difference in these children's lives.

Here are five meaningful ways you can help support foster children in our area.

(1) Advocate for Foster Children

Use your voice and your platform to support foster children

  • Learn more about the foster care system (a quick google search will get you going)

  • Share information about foster care needs on social media

  • Educate others about the challenges and rewards of fostering

  • Create internship opportunities specifically for foster youth at your company

Remember that every action, no matter how small, can make a difference in a foster child's life. By working together, we can create a stronger support system for foster children in Jefferson County.

(2) Support Foster & Adoptive Families

Ask around at your local school or church to begin identifying the needs in your immediate community. Ask the principal, counselor, children’s pastor if there’s anything you can do to help. A couple of practical ways you might be able to help would be to help with errands or choose a monthly night to prepare and delivery a meal. Encouragement and friendship also goes an awful long way! If you can do more, partnering by offering respite care can be very powerful.

Respite care providers offer temporary relief to foster parents by caring for foster children for short periods, typically a few days or weekends. In Jefferson County, respite care providers supported over 150 foster families last year, providing:

  • Critical breaks for foster parents, reducing burnout rates by 45%

  • Additional positive relationships for foster children

  • Weekend care averaging 2-3 days per month

  • Essential support during emergencies or planned events

To become a respite care provider, you'll need to complete some basic training and background checks through Jefferson County Human Services.

(3) Become a Mentor

Through regular mentoring, children in foster care discover their own worth, potential, and resilience – not through lectures, but through the steady presence of someone who shows up, listens, and believes in them unconditionally. Mentoring is a simple way to say to a child, "I'm here for you, I see you, and I'll keep showing up." 

RFK Littleton offers a monthly mentoring club. It is a simple, consistent, and fun way to mentor children in a safe, organized, and structured way. If you’re curious what mentoring looks like, here’s a few highlights from this past year:

  • Baiting hooks with worms for fishing

  • Playing wiffle ball in the park

  • Walking alongside a horse while the children ride

  • Sitting in small groups having short, but meaningful conversations

  • Getting covered in glue, stickers and glitter - lots of arts and crafts!

The impact ripples far beyond monthly meetings; research shows that mentored children are more likely to stay in school, develop better relationships, and build the confidence needed to break cycles of trauma. This consistent, caring connection can be the difference between a child who survives and one who truly thrives. Get involved today.

(4) Support Local Organizations

Several local organizations work tirelessly to support foster children in Jefferson County. The impact of community support is significant:

(5) Consider Becoming a Foster Parent

Finally, the most direct way to impact a foster child’s life is by opening your home as a foster parent. While becoming a foster parent is a significant commitment, the impact on a child's life is immeasurable. Last year alone, foster families in Jefferson County provided homes for over 600 children, with approximately 85% of these children eventually reunifying with their biological families or finding permanent homes through adoption. Click here to learn more and register to attend an informational meeting. 


These are just 5 ways, but there are plenty more ways for you to step up, get involved, and support children in the foster care system right here in Jefferson County. If you have any questions, or if we can help point you in any other specific directions, we’d love to help, please email us at info@rfklittleton.org


 
RFK Littleton