4KIDS of South Texas is a Foster Care and Adoption Agency in Bexar and surrounding counties, licensing, training, and supporting Christian families.
We are a ministry minded Child Placing Agency. Our board is comprised of foster parents so we get it and help you navigate and flourish in this system. We train you foster parent to foster parent not in theory but from practical, been there/done that teachings. We walk through this journey with you having your back in all situations.
It may be a surprise to you but we have an orphan crisis in our country. South Texas is no exception. In region eight and the surrounding area, we have over four thousand children who are trapped in foster care. 4KIDS of South Texas is responding to this crisis by pursuing a big vision- a home for every child. In 2014, God prompted founders Greg and Kristin Leininger to contact Angie Carleton and John Wilhelm with the vision of establishing a Christ-centered foster care and adoption agency in south central Texas dedicated to serving the needs of children rescued from abuse, neglect and abandonment. Others quickly embraced the vision and joined church communities as well as individuals to start 4KIDS of South Texas.
4KIDS of South Texas is modeled after, 4KIDS of South Florida, which has received national recognition over the past 20 years. Our unique approach focuses on four main pillars:
1. KIDS come first: All decisions are based on the child's individual needs. Kids stay connected to their families. Children are not being moved around and 4KIDS staff members take time to focus on each child at home visits.
2. We recruit, train and care for our families. We provide comprehensive trauma training, mentor families who have already fostered and adopted as well as provide optimal matching of each child to the right family.
3. 4KIDS partners with the local Church to develop orphan ministries and surround each family with the support they need for the entire journey. The parents support groups are then surrounded by the entire church. This gives the churches the opportunity to be involved in various ways in foster care.
4. 4KIDS also feels it is imperative to involve community support to help solve the orphan crisis. It takes a community to raise a child. Private donations and services offered by the community at large ensures complete care for each child to thrive, not just survive. Government funds are insufficient to ensure the best care for the children being rescued out of abuse and neglect. These children often times have needs that require funding beyond what the government offers. Sadly, due to a lack of quality foster homes, many children are housed in group homes, shelters or other institutional settings. For most children healing occurs best in a family setting. Vital pathways in the brain are formed through normal family interactions creating the capacity for children to attach, develop physically, emotionally and cognitively. At 4KIDS, we seek to not only provide safe, loving homes but also introduce children and if possible their birth families to the love of Christ. It is time for the faith community to rise to the occasion and reclaim the mission of providing safety, healing and wholeness to the youngest most vulnerable victims, pointing the way to hope in Christ.
