One couple’s vision, in just over a year, has blossomed into an impactful ministry to serve those touched by the child welfare system in Bryan College Station.
BCS Together, as of March 2019, originally existed as an event for anyone in the community interested in foster care, adoption, or supporting those involved. It was organized by Jenni Olowo and her husband, who were then two-time foster care parents. However, when personal journeys collided over coffee, the Olowos decided it might be time to increase their impact, transforming their event into a full-blown organization.
Although Jackie Kline did not realize what she was getting into when she first walked in to meet Jenni, the now-communications director for BCS Together says she and her husband were ready to engage in the foster community.
“We weren’t quite ready to become foster parents at that point, but we knew we wanted to get involved,” says Kline. “Last August, Jenni started telling me about BCS Together and the vision that she and her husband had — but they were kind of at ground zero. They didn’t have a team or anything, so she asked me if I would be interested. At that point, I was already sold.”
Kline explains, while she was certainly an instigator for BCS Together’s organizational beginnings, it was the addition of Jenny Closner, the now-director of community resources, that got them up and running.
“We all worked together to turn BCS Together into what it is today, but it definitely started on the groundwork of what Jenny Closner had laid,” says Kline. “Grace Bible Church had a ministry called Faithful to the Fatherless, and she kind of spearheaded that. The community was dwindling a little bit, and that was when Jenni Olowo realized this was where God had her.”
Kline explains, while Faithful to the Fatherless has now come under the BCS Together umbrella, their church partnerships have moved past Grace Bible Church, including another eight local fellowships. These nine churches collectively participate in the new CarePortal program, which incorporates online technology to connect churches with local needs.
According to bcstogether.org, “All requests submitted ... come from caseworkers at government child welfare agencies or other child-serving organizations approved by CarePortal to vet needs.”
Through this technology, implemented in March, Kline reports that BCS Together has been able to serve 155 kids, meet 121 requests, and have an over $33 thousand impact.
“For many of us, we know these things are out there and happening, but we just don’t know where it is or what to do about it, so this brings the need to people clearly,” says Kline. “If only 10% of churches in each community within our country became engaged in the foster care and adoption space, we would have more than enough resources for every single child.”
Kline acknowledges, although she and her husband were originally hesitant, her time with BCS Together has inspired them to begin training to foster.
“You hear foster care, you kind of think of the horror stories that you might have heard, and you think, ‘There’s no way I’m cut out to do that,’” Kline explains. “But I have been able to befriend so many foster families and meet their kids, and my husband and I both are just like, ‘Oh, they’re normal kids — just like a normal kid who needs a home and needs a safe place and needs someone who will love them.’”
In addition to overcoming her initial fear, Kline says she has come to recognize her own privilege and how much capacity she has — emotionally and financially — to care for a foster child.
“Seeing how heroic and brave the people that we serve are has really given me the courage to take the small sacrifice and step up and do something,” says Kline. “They didn’t ask for those situations, but they were put into those positions, and so me, being in my comfortable position, should really be empowered to do something about it.”
Kline offers her own advice for couples who might be interested in foster care and have concerns of their own.
“Getting involved in the foster care community is really the best way to look into foster care,” says Kline. “We have a mentorship program where we will partner you with a seasoned foster family, and they can kind of walk through the journey with you, show you the ups and downs, and give you resources. We also have a couple books to help determine if this is really for you.”
