Our Story

What started in 2003 in Chicago, IL with Dave and Karen Anderson opening their heart and home to host children, has blossomed into a global movement to keep children safe and families together. Safe Families for Children (SFFC) is an evidence-based, community-driven model that seeks to reframe how families are cared for and supported when facing challenging circumstances. The goal is to provide a safe and innovative alternative for isolated parents, building strong, resilient families for every local communities.

Keeping Families Together

Launched in 2021, the Northern Colorado chapter began with a simple yet powerful desire: to serve families in the Northern Colorado community facing crisis and social isolation. We are part of a national movement of volunteers who open their hearts and homes to walk alongside families in crisis. We offer temporary care for children and family support, creating a safety net for families before situations escalate to abuse, neglect, or involvement with the foster care system.

At the heart of our work is a commitment to empowering the local faith community to live out the biblical call to hospitality. We support church-based leadership teams in identifying, training, and equipping volunteers to temporarily host children and support parents, giving parents the breathing room they need to regain stability and move forward.

Together, we can stop the flow of children into foster care—by stepping in early, offering connection, compassion, and community when it’s needed most—ultimately keeping children safe and families together.

Our Objectives

Family Support & Stabilization

Many isolated parents struggle because of limited informal social supports and an unavailable extended family. The Circle of Support becomes the extended family needed to support both parents and children in stabilizing their families.

Child Welfare Deflection

The Circle of Support is intended as a preventive measure. Our volunteers provide temporary housing for children, giving parents the space they need to work through a crisis, allowing them to parent well, keep their families together, and avoid the foster care system.

Child Abuse Prevention

Providing an overwhelmed and under-resourced parent with a safe, temporary place for their children without threat of losing custody, along with a Circle of Support to help navigate the crisis situation and avert potential abuse/neglect episodes.

Our Core Values

We open our hearts, our hands, and our homes. We welcome strangers into our lives to find community, hope, and belonging. Staff and volunteers are willing to host and serve others, being role models as the hands and feet of Christ.

God’s generosity is evidenced all around us. Generous people are selfless, redemptive, and sacrificial, freely giving of their time, talents, treasure, and words. Giving to others helps us tangibly practice trusting in God rather than our riches or belongings.

Fuelled by mercy, we are moved to see and act to help those in need. Compassion allows us to “see” those in need and motivates us to respond with the love of Christ. Compassion means to “suffer with” and includes a desire to help alleviate that suffering.