Family Connect of Wisconsin: A Case for Support

Strengthening Connecting COMMUNITIES +

A Word From Our Founder

Family Connect of Wisconsin was born from a deeply personal experience with the challenges facing vulnerable children and families in our communities.

As foster care respite parents, my wife RaNae and I witnessed firsthand the trauma many children endure Our daughter and son-in-law have been foster parents since 2016, and their early experiences revealed critical gaps in support systems and highlighted the urgent need for stronger community connection

When we saw the immense challenges they faced as foster parents, we turned to our local church for help The response was incredible volunteers stepped up eagerly once they understood the need

This experience revealed something significant: connection with a church community can make all the difference for a foster family. Then we asked ourselves, What if we went further? What if we could coordinate support for families before their children entered foster care in the first place?

That question became the foundation of Family Connect of Wisconsin.

In September 2022, I was challenged to put my own compassion into action on behalf of the kids I saw suffering in the child welfare system. I founded Foster Family Connect as a new initiative of Silver Birch Ranch, where I serve as Vice President - Business Director.

Our Mission

To connect and mobilize local communities to simply and effectively meet the needs of children and families.

Our

Vision

Connected communities strengthening families to ensure every child is safe, secure & loved.

In July 2023, momentum accelerated when we received a grant from the Lilly Endowment, providing startup funding to formalize our efforts in mobilizing communities in caring for vulnerable children and families in their area We soon discovered CarePortal, a technology platform that streamlines the process of connecting churches, businesses, and community members with families in need

In early 2024, we rebranded as Family Connect of Wisconsin to better reflect our expanded vision of connecting communities and strengthening all families in need, not just those impacted by foster care Our first Community Network launched in Langlade County in 2024 and now we’ve established networks in five counties

The vision ahead is bold: By 2029, we're planning to grow from 5 to 20 Community Networks, expand from 50 to 175+ trained church partners, and increase the number of children served from 500+ to 7,000 statewide.

Today, Family Connect of Wisconsin is connecting communities across our state and communities are playing a central role in caring for children and families in need. Together, we are working toward a future where every child is safe, secure, and loved and you can be part of it right where you are.

For God’s glory,

Mike Jewell, Founder & President

A Crisis in Our

Communities

Poverty

creates a hidden crisis for children and families across the United

States.

Poverty → Isolation & Unmet Needs

Leads to depression, anxiety, and academic struggles

Neglect & Out-of-Home Care

Neglect due to poverty is one of the top reasons children are removed from parental care

Family Separation

Increases risk of trauma, mental health struggles, homelessness, incarceration, and trafficking.

The Cycle Persists

Without support, families often struggle for generations

Children thrive in safe, loving families — yet many don’t receive the support they need.

have been removed from parental care.1

Wisconsin...

5,900+ KIDS

As a state, we have significant gaps in providing support for one another.

Wisconsin ranks 31st in social support and engagement.3

1 in 3

1 in 3 kids are not getting their basic needs met at home.2

Many families impacted by poverty are disconnected from their local communities.

I often felt the frustration of knowing what a family needed but not having the community support to help them move forward. So many families were doing their best to rebuild, but without practical help or strong relationships, the odds were stacked against them.

So often their success depended not just on their effort, but on whether there were people willing to step in and walk alongside them.

- Trey Lesatz, Former Case Manager

Our Solution for Strengthening Families

Family Connect of Wisconsin mobilizes communities through local churches, businesses, and community members to meet practical needs, offer hope, and build lasting connections with families in need.

We set out to empower communities to put compassion into action by providing direct care to vulnerable families in their county that may otherwise remain isolated and disconnected.

Agencies share the urgent, practical needs of children and families that they encounter through front-line services.

Churches, local businesses & community members collaborate to gather resources to meet needs and make connections that meet the unique needs of vulnerable families.

In this way, Community Networks are established to unite agencies, churches, local businesses and community members in caring for children and families in need.

Family Connect Community Networks

Community Networks connect people who can help with people who need help.

Our model of building local Community Networks, county by county throughout the state, ensures that families can receive timely support while making community connections with local churches that can have an ongoing impact in their lives.

Community Networks open the door for connection, and connection changes everything.

What it takes to build a Community Network

We use CarePortal, a technology platform, as our tool for connecting Community Network partners to meet practical needs for vulnerable families, such as:

Community Networks turn into — simply & effectively. compassion action

First, a child-serving agency identifies a practical need for a child or family they serve and enters it into the CarePortal platform.

Alerts are instantly shared with a network of local churches, businesses, and individuals who are prepared to work together to meet the need.

Items are gathered and delivered directly to the family by trained response team members, facilitating community connection and relieving the burden on agency workers.

Agency workers identify needs and maintain oversight, while local churches provide the direct care, resources, and relationships that transform lives.

Social workers with Fond du Lac Human Services connect at a Community Network gathering to share the impact seen through CarePortal requests being met by churches

Response team member gathering items to meet a request for clothing for a set of siblings currently cared for by their grandparents

Response team members deliver a couch they provided for a family in need, helping furnish their new home

Increasing

Collaboration

Community Networks reduce logistical barriers, improve coordination, and build trust to empower communities in each county to come together to care for children and families in need.

CASE WORKERS

FAMILIES

CHURCHES & VOLUNTEERS

LOCAL BUSINESSES

DONORS

COMMUNITIES

When we work , every child can be safe, secure & loved.

All needs submitted to a Community Network have been vetted by agency workers and offer support for a particular purpose, such as:

Reunifying or Strengthening Biological Families

Supporting an Expectant Mother & Her Baby

Supporting Foster or Adoptive Placements

Supporting a Youth Aging Out of Foster Care

Reintegrating a Victim of Human Trafficking

Alleviating Educational Barriers for Children

Real , Real

Impact Results

Since our first Community Network was established in Wisconsin in 2024...

550+ Children Served

200+ Requests Met

$170K+ Economic Impact

50+ Active Church Partners

300+ Volunteer Responders Trained

20+ Community Champions Figures as of October 2025

partnering with the faith community helped to improve child and family well-being and provided better support for their work

CarePortal increased their awareness of the needs of children and families in their community and made helping easier

The consistent compassion and professionalism demonstrated by network partners gives me confidence in entrusting vulnerable families to their care. Their thoughtful approach to meeting needs reinforces the trust that is essential for effective partnership in serving our community.

This is proving to be exactly what it is advertised to be: an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community

Community Networks in Action

REQUEST MADE:

Parents in need of basic home furnishings before being reunified with their children.

Parents have completed addiction recovery program and are preparing to be reunified with their sons. They are in need of basic furnishings to prepare their newly secured housing for their kids.

REQUEST MADE:

Family without vehicle in need of stroller or wagon to transport their two young kids.

The parents of two kids rely on walking as they don’t own a car. Having a stroller or wagon to fit both kids would make it easier for them to get the kids out into the community and promote positive social interactions for them all

REQUEST MADE:

Mother and daughter in need of support to cover transportation & food expenses.

A single mother facing many challenges is struggling to meet her daughter’s needs. The most immediate needs are groceries and gas to get daughter to school and doctor appointments each day Gift cards would be a huge help

REQUEST MET!

The church responded immediately and generously, providing everything the family needed. Their swift response sped up the reunification process, allowing these parents to reunite with their boys 3-6 weeks earlier than originally planned

REQUEST MET!

This response was amazing! The family was so appreciative of the physical items, but also for the kindness they felt when the items were delivered. This family does not have a lot of support, but this request showed them that there is a community who is there for them Thank you!

REQUEST MET!

This church responded with kindness and urgency. The mother was very blessed by the interaction. With a big smile on her face, she told me about how kind they were I work with this mother often and could tell that she was deeply relieved by the support she received

What’s Ahead

communities

We believe are called to take the lead in serving vulnerable families— not after crisis strikes, but before children enter foster care.

Our goal is to establish Community Networks in each county of Wisconsin that empower communities to show up as hands-on responders to meet families where they are. By connecting agencies with local churches, businesses, and community members, we can reduce the number of children entering foster care and help change the child welfare system in Wisconsin.

Community Networks are currently active in the following counties:

Dane Fond du Lac Jefferson (coming soon)

Juneau Langlade Waukesha

Interest is currently building in Winnebago, Dodge, Columbia, Racine, Brown, Marathon, Outagamie, Portage, and Milwaukee counties to establish Community Networks as funding is secured

r key goals for the next 3 years include...

Grow from 5 to 20 County Community Networks

Grow from 500+ to 7,000 total children served through Community Network requests

Grow from 50 to 175+ active church partners trained to meet needs in their County Community Network

Investing in Connection

Visionary Annual Budget

Annual operating budget for our key goal of serving 20 Wisconsin counties through Community Networks by 2029

Southern Region: Dane, Jefferson, Columbia, Sauk

Northeast Region: Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Winnebago, Outagamie, Brown

Central Region: Juneau, Adams, Portage, Wood, Marathon

Southeastern Region: Waukesha, Racine, Dodge

Western Region: Dunn, Taylor, Chippewa, Eau Claire

Strengthening + Connecting COMMUNITIES

Our Key Leaders

Advisory Board Members

Providing

together

When we work , every child can be safe, secure & loved.

JOIN US

in caring for vulnerable children and families by connecting communities across Wisconsin.

Your generous investment will help to expand our Community Networks across the state and ensure thousands of children receive timely support when they need it most.

to Strengthen Families

We understand that major donors want to give strategically and wisely. That's why we offer various giving options including:

Online donations

Donor Advised Funds

Appreciated Stock and Securities

Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs

Legacy Gifts - Wills, Estates, Trusts, and Annuities

We'd welcome the opportunity to discuss your philanthropic goals and explore partnership opportunities for joining in God’s redemptive work in this way