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CFC Q1 2026 Newsletter

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You Help Build STRONG Families

STRONG Families helps families in crisis by providing temporary hosting for children between the ages of 0-17, mentorship to parents, and resource connections, when beneficial. God is using this program to work miracles of transformation in families’ lives.

One of our new host families, the Smiths,* recently opened their home to a sibling group of two, providing the children

with a safe, loving place during a time of transition for the children’s family.

But even after the children left, the healing and restoration didn’t end. God was writing a beautiful story, and it was just beginning to unfold.

Not long after the children returned home, their mom, Casey, reached out to the Smiths with a surprising request: She wanted to join

them at church. This was a powerful step forward for her. Casey experiences anxiety and rarely takes the children out without her husband.

But that Sunday, with her husband at work, Casey packed up the kids, walked through the doors of the church, and sat beside the very family that had cared for her children.

What Casey found was more than just a place to sit. She found a circle of support. The Smiths welcomed her with open arms, encouraged her to keep coming, and let her know that she would never have to do it all alone.

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Will You Join

Us in Prayer?

We are grateful to you for championing CFC in prayer, both individually and with your church or small group. Your prayers make an eternal impact on the children and families we serve.

As you spend time with the Lord this month, would you continue to lift the ministry of CFC in prayer?

This month, we ask that you pray that our families who receive Family Coaching are prepared for any challenges and for wisdom for the coaches working with these families.

In this one simple, courageous act, a new kind of family formed—not just through hosting, but through relationship, encouragement, and shared faith. This is what STRONG Families does: It creates lasting connections that extend far beyond the placement.

As a CFC donor, you make STRONG Families possible. You remind every parent that they are seen, valued, and supported by a community that cares for them. In 2025 alone, STRONG families hosted 29 children, giving 24 families the support needed so they could stabilize and avoid catastrophe. Thank you!

GET INVOLVED

With 2026 right around the corner, many of us are thinking about our New Year’s resolutions. Would you consider deepening your involvement in the CFC ministry?

We are looking for volunteers to help with the following programs:

• Family Care KIDS Preschool

• Phoenix Thrift Store

• Family Maintenance Support

• Church Liaison

• STRONG Families

• Mentoring for Foster Children

• Prayer Partner

Learn more and sign up at cfcare.org/get-involved/ volunteer/

To find our prayer calendar for the entire year, visit cfcare.org/ get-involved/volunteer/prayerpartner-2/#prayer-calendar.

Have you felt a tug on your heart to become a foster parent? Join us for one of our Foster Care/ Adoption information sessions! Whether you are looking to get started in the process or just exploring your options, we invite you to this no-obligation meeting to find out what it takes to become a Foster/Adoptive Parent in Arizona. Learn more at https://cfcare.org/ fc-calendar/.

Letter from the President

Dear Friends,

As we approach Christmas, I’ve been thinking about Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem. During that journey, Joseph and the expectant Mary experienced poverty and rejection. No one wanted to give them shelter.

Today, Christ asks if there is room in our hearts for Him. He calls us to be the hands and feet of Christ—extending charity to those who live in the margins and are struggling with poverty, abuse, and violence.

As Christians, we are called to extend God’s love to these families—especially during the season of His birth.

With your support of Christian Family Care, you do just that. You give hurting families the chance for healing and restoration. You ensure that more children experience abundant love and joy in a stable, permanent home.

You give hurting families the chance for healing and restoration.

In this newsletter, you will see the power of your generosity. Thanks to you, families’ lives are being changed through CFC programs such as counseling, mentorship, Family Care KIDS, our new Young Adult program, and much more.

I have been particularly moved by the impact that STRONG Families is making on families in crisis. As you’ll see in this newsletter, STRONG families doesn’t just provide temporary assistance to families, it provides life-long, spiritual impact.

As a CFC donor, you play a part in these transformations, and I thank you.

As we prepare for a new year, I look forward to working alongside you to continue strengthening families and serving children in Jesus’ name. Thank you for bringing the joy and peace of the Christmas season to families in need.

For the Children, Mark Upton

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