About
Mission
We’re not an organization that started with a program; we started with a yes. A yes to children who needed a place, a family, and a hope. PLACED is simply the overflow of that yes, inviting Christians, churches, and families to join in God’s work of redemption through foster care.
Our Story
Our story is pretty simple, really. It’s about learning to say “yes” to God’s call, again and again. I (Dave) serve as the pastor of First Baptist Church of Long Beach, and Amanda has been my greatest encourager and wisest counselor every step of the way. After 25 years of marriage, we’ve come to see that what makes a family is not DNA, but God’s grace woven into everyday life.
Foster care has shaped our home in deep ways. Over the years, we’ve fostered four children, adopted two, and today we’re still in the trenches—providing respite care, walking with foster families, and offering counsel as they navigate the joys and struggles of this journey. Each “yes” to foster care has stretched our faith, broken our hearts, and yet filled our liveswith more love than we could have imagined.
This journey also led to PLACED, a book I wrote out of my doctoral research at Liberty University, drawing on the lessons we’ve learned in our own home. It was written to help churches and families understand how to support the foster care community. But more than research, it tells our story: late nights, tearful goodbyes, reunifications that hurt us but healed a child, and our unshakable belief that the church can make a difference.
The PLACED website is meant to be more than a project—it’s a place of connection and encouragement. Our prayer is that it will serve as a lifeline for foster families, a resource for those who are stepping into this calling, and an inspiration for churches and communities to get involved. You’ll find blogs written not just by me, but also by our kids, who often see things with a depth that humbles me. You’ll be able to find resources to help foster families and those considering fostering, a store where you can order a PLACED bag for a child’s first night in care, and a page where you can learn how to come alongside foster families in your community. Our goal is simple: to make this site a one-stop place for encouragement, equipping, and practical ways to get involved.
We believe foster care is not just a need, it’s a mission field. Our hope is to inspire churches and families to see foster care the way God sees it: as an opportunity to place His love in the lives of children who need it most.
Welcome to our story. We’re glad you’re here.
