Better Together
After gathering research from over 40 foster care organizations around Alabama, Foster Coalition was established in March 2021 to unite local advocates of foster care to solve the crucial physical, emotional, and educational needs of the 5,000 to 10,000 children in foster care.
The following national foster statistics provide a motivational source to improve situations in the foster system:
- 1 in 184 children has been in the foster system.
- Between 5,000 and 10,000 are in Alabama foster care on any given day. Visit Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) for current statistics: Alabama DHR Foster Care.
- 65% of children rescued from sex trafficking have been in foster care. Their life expectancy is only seven years.
- 70% of people in prison in many states have been in foster care.
- 76% of foster children are reunited with their family in the allotted processing period IF they have only ONE DHR caseworker. It drops to 20% when there is more than one caseworker, and an extended stay in the system.
- 20% of the aged-out are immediately homeless.
- 50% of the aged out do not have a legal means of support after five years.
- And it goes on and on!! More statistics are available on national websites, including Christian Alliance for Orphans and Promise686.
The four areas needed most to overcome these statistics shared by most foster organizations interviewed are:
More workers for the state of Alabama
3,000 for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates),4,000 long-term fosterparents, 98% more care support groups (foster, adoptive, and birth parents), 1,500 long-term mentors for aging out youth, 200 social workers for DHR (Department of Human Resources), an undetermined number of qualified trauma counselors, and volunteers for local organizations. Improvements in this area will increase the effectiveness of the foster system and meet many of the security, acceptance, and significance needs of children.
High turnover rate reduction
Currently, the foster parent turnover rate is 50%-100% per year, the DHR turnover rate is 47%, and CASA turnover rate, though undetermined, is high. Solving problems in this area will help provide security for children and increase productivity within the foster system.
Education
Information about the services each advocate organization offers and how to tap into their services, intensive training for foster parents, adoptive parents, mentors, social workers, and CASA workers so that they’ll know how the foster system works and what they are getting into. Good education produces efficiency and effectiveness of the system and provides significance for the children.
Improved communication
Local foster advocate organizations, foster parents, mentors, DHR, the legal system, and churches need better communication with one another to help meet the needs of the children they serve. The image of the foster system and foster children needs to be more positive. We’ll have radio and TV appearances to share new developments, local needs, and current events. We’ll offer a centralized database of resource organizations with contacts, social media, a blog, and podcasts to keep all informed. Good communication increases the efficiency of the foster system and public awareness of its needs, and boosts the acceptance and significance of foster children.
Foster Coalition Structure
Foster Coalition is best classified as a Catalyst Organization. It functions as an independent entity that helps local foster organizations, agencies, and ministries unite to provide effective collaborative services at a level above what they can accomplish working independently. Foster Coalition does not perform any of the united entity services. The results of a united community focused on a common goal with effective communication among themselves has historically improved the success rate between 30% and 50%, as documented in research performed by Stanford University: ssir.org/articles/entry/collective_impact.
Why Support a Catalyst Organization?
Catalyzing organizations serve multiple other organizations and causes at one time. Contributing to them means that you’re contributing to multiple entities at one time. In supporting a catalyzer, you have opportunity to catapult a community of organizations into a stronger, more resilient space.
For more information, please read Perspectives and Insight: Three Reasons to Support a Catalyzing Organization from the National Christian Foundation.
Our Foster Coalition Team
We’re passionate about our work with foster families and the organizations that support them. Foster Coalition’s founders are active in outreach and personally understand the roadblocks families face in the foster care system and beyond. Their involvement in counseling both foster care families and youth who have experienced abuse has given them direct insight into community needs.
Paul Berry
Paul Berry is a retired financial planner and investment advisor with The Covenant Group, which he founded in 1988. Paul is married to Robbie, and they have three children and nine grandchildren. Paul and Robbie were the founders of the Safe Harbor ministry, which reaches out to families with teenagers with rebellious behaviors such as drug abuse, eating disorders, self-cutting, deviant sexual behavior, anger, and violence. Safe Harbor coaches parents on how to get between their rebellious teens and the behavior in which they are involved and offers a faith-based online video series for parents with troubled teens.
Mike Ousley
Mike Ousley is owner and president of Mike Ousley Productions. He has over thirty-seven years of experience in award-winning television production. His first project started as a series of local music television shows for teenagers, which was also simulcast on radio and developed into an adult music video show that ran in fifteen markets across the country. Mike Ousley Productions is currently responsible for TV program production in several of the top fifty US markets. He is the only television producer to have twice won Billboard Magazine’s Music Video Show of the Year. Mike has strong ties through philanthropic work locally in Birmingham and is actively involved in his church.
Board of Directors
Paul Berry – Foster Coalition founder and retired Financial Planner and Investment Advisor. Paul was a founding board member of JH Ranch, First Priority of Alabama, and Kingdom Advisors. He also served as a member of the steering committee to start the Alabama Christian Foundation, a division of the National Christian Foundation.
Mike Ousley – Foster Coalition founder and owner of Mike Ousley Productions. Mike also currently serves as board member of the Owens House and the Cornerstone Schools of Alabama, which provides high-quality education to inner-city children. He was previously a founder and director of the Music Video Association of America.
Angie Hoffman – Children’s Director of Oak Mountain Presbyterian Church and advisor to local Department of Human Resources (DHR). Angie has a Bachelor of Arts in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Augusta State University.
Andy Martin – President of Providence Partners and former President of First Protective Insurance Group. Andy also serves on the board of directors of Fellowship of Christian Athletes at the University of Alabama and Glenwood, Inc. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Birmingham Southern College.
Zack Miller – Vice President, Accounting Manager of ServisFirst Bank, former Senior Financial Analyst of USAA, and former Vice President/Internal Audit Manager of BBVA. Zack is a CPA with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in finance from University of Alabama.
Tony Cooper – Nonprofit and Corporate Consultant and Pastor of Pineywood Baptist Church in Gardendale. Tony is former thirty-year executive director of The Jimmie Hale Mission, which started with a men’s shelter and over time expanded to include Royal Pines Recovery Center, Jessie’s Place, Stewart Learning Center, Bargain Center thrift stores, and Discovery Clubs. He’s founding member of Alabama Rescue Services (ARSA) and Alabama Association of Christian Recovery Ministries (AACRM). Tony is also on the Advisory Board of Mission Increase Foundation (MIF), the Leadership Committee with Movement, and the 2nd Half Committee of Young Business Leaders (YBL). He is recipient of the 2019 Birmingham Business Journal Non-Profit CEO Award and the 2021 Medallion Award from Samford University.
Andrew Howard – Chief Executive Officer of Select Specialty Hospital in Birmingham since 2019. Andrew has a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa and a Master of Science in health administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). He is a board-certified Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Tavon Arrington – Personal Development Manager at Brasfield and Gorrie, Life Coach and former University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Football Team Chaplain, and UAB Campus Director and area representative of the Fellowship of Christain Athletes. Tavon has an Associate of Arts in Religion, a Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies, and a Master of Arts in Human Services.
Sally Beck – President and Investment Advisor of Representative of Beck Financial Group, and partner of Beck & Hill LLC, a full-service accounting firm. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration.
Advisory Board
Tony Petelos – Past Commissioner of Alabama Department of Human Resources, two term Mayor of Hoover, former County Manager and CEO of Jefferson County. Tony has 34 years’ experience in public service and is one of central Alabama’s longest serving officials.
Patti Smith – Former Shelby County Family Court Judge and Alabama Supreme Court Associate Justice. She served on the Juvenile Court bench for 25 years and created the Alabama Developing Youth (DAY) Program and The Friends of the Court/Court Appointed Social Advocates Program. Patti also chaired Shelby County’s first Children’s Policy Council.
Samuel J. McLure – Adoption attorney and founder of The Adoption Law Firm in Montgomery. Sam and his wife Mary Beth were inspired to establish The Adoption Law Firm during the process of adopting their son.
Dr. Jim Wright – Executive Director Emeritus of Childhaven, Inc. with a 27-year term. He served on boards of Cullman City Schools Foundation, Cullman Caring for Kids, and Family Life Missions. Jim was appointed to the Governor’s Data Oversight Committee for DHR and also served as president of Cullman County DHR Quality Assurance Committee.
Lee Kinnebrew – Vice President at Barber Companies, former director of Cornerstone inner city school in Birmingham and of The Kings Ranch shelter and services for abandoned, neglected and abused youth.
Staff
Nancy Coker – Administrative Associate: bookkeeping, financial reporting, event planning, and general administrative. Nancy has a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from the University of Montevallo.
Carolyn Horton – Development and Communications Associate: grants, marketing communication, and website development. Carolyn has a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Kelly Alligood – Development Associate: grants, education, and marketing. Kelly has a Master of Science in Consumer Sciences and Financial Planning from University of Alabama.
Stephanie Walley – Area Director for Jefferson and Shelby Counties. Stephanie is an adoptive mom, former foster parent, and a foster care advocate. She is married to Jamie Walley, senior pastor of Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Trussville. They have four children and one grandchild.
Tony Cooper – Ministry Volunteer. Tony is a nonprofit consultant and Pastor of Pineywood Baptist Church in Gardendale. He was long-time former Executive Director of Jimmie Hale Mission and former pastor of Midway Church in Gulf Breeze, Florida. Tony has a degree in theology and a Master of Science in Counseling from Troy State University.