As more children and families needing services strain the foster care system in Lackawanna County, an organization is calling for area houses of worship to support people involved in foster care.
More than a dozen representatives from churches and other faith-based entities gathered Thursday morning for a breakfast and panel at Outreach Center for Community Resources. They discussed ways they can support children, families, caseworkers and foster families. Organized by Keystone Family Alliance, an organization that aims to motivate, educate and equip Christians in the state to help vulnerable children and orphans, the panel emphasized the need to provide any kind of support, no matter how small.
Carlene Gula, Lackawanna County coordinator for Keystone Family Alliance, said churches have communities that can build relationships, provide support and help children and families, as well as their own unique gifts that can be a catalyst for change.
“We’re asking you to look at the people, gifts, resources and relationships God has already placed within your church and ask, ‘what is our something,’” she told those in attendance.
Gula provided state and local statistics on children in foster care. Statewide, she said more than 2,000 children are waiting for adoption and approximately 1,000 leave the foster care system without a permanent family.
Danielle Taylor, a foster and adoption caseworker in the office, said the number of children placed in foster care continues to rise daily. The 27 licensed foster families the office has isn’t enough to handle all of them, resulting in the office looking beyond Lackawanna County to place children.
“We need the people,” she said. “We need people who care, who want to help, who are willing to do anything in any way. A foster parent, a caseworker, a respite provider, someone who can give a child that hug on the worst day of their life and has the opportunity and space to do that because the caseworkers are doing a million things all at once.”
Taylor said small things like providing snacks to caseworkers is helpful.
“They need support as well because that does help them in their job,” she said.
Carlene Gula, Lackawanna County coordinator for Keystone Family Alliance, addresses attendees at a pastors and church leaders breakfast at Outreach Center for Community Resources Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
Panelists speak at pastors and church leaders breakfast hosted by Keystone Family Alliance at Outreach Center for Community Resources Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
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Carlene Gula, Lackawanna County coordinator for Keystone Family Alliance, addresses attendees at a pastors and church leaders breakfast at Outreach Center for Community Resources Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
Danielle Vitale, a foster parent since 2019, said she needs support just as much as the children do. She said as a foster parent, she deals with children that have special and unique needs and everyone in her home has to adapt to meet their needs.
They emphasized that any kind of help counts, even someone who can hang out with the children while the parent does chores.
“You don’t have to be a foster parent to help. You don’t have to have a ton of money to provide the $300 machine we needed to help,” she said. “The text message from just somebody who I know is thinking of what I’m going through and thinking of what my kids may need or just to say, ‘hey, how are you doing?’ Anybody in this room could do that, and that means so much to those of us who are able to do that other thing that is really hard.”
Locally, Keystone Family Alliance partnered with six churches a year ago to support children and families and passed cards to attendees to sign up as an additional partner.
Representatives from City Lights Church in Scranton spoke about their experience supporting those in the foster system. The church has care communities of people that provide support.
Pastor Ben Hailstone said offering support is a way to live out the gospel of Christ.
The meeting also included opening and closing prayers. Gula concluded the event by inviting attendees to participate in Stand Sunday on Nov. 8, where churches are encouraged to raise awareness about about the needs of children and families involved in foster care and child welfare.
Several attendees said afterwards they felt inspired to do more to help.
Don McCall, a member of Steamtown Church in Scranton, said participating allows people to fell valued and it gives the congregation an opportunity to do so.
“I can see this would help our people not only see that they’re doing something of value but also they can measure it and make a difference in our community,” he said.
Mikaela Miller, director of operations for Mission Scranton, which runs programs for children in Section 8 housing, sees Keystone Family Alliance as a way to bridge her work with churches.
“It’s a huge need and I really would love to see more people in the city involved with organizations like Keystone Family Alliance,” she said.