Our Story

The Foster Support Faith Alliance was launched in 2016 out of the Light up the City Network of Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission. The Network had successfully launched a church/school initiative with Seattle Public Schools. The question was asked, “what if churches in a community came together to “adopt” and support a local child welfare office?”

The initiative was launched and the first year 5 local networks (chapters) in King County with over 50 churches participating. In 2018 Olive Crest, a child placement agency took over leadership from UGM and expanded to 7 local networks.

As a result hundreds of social workers, DCYF office staff and foster families have been wrapped around and supported in a variety of ways. Local churches have launched their own foster care focused ministries and hundreds of volunteers have been trained and deployed.

FSFA is one of those unique, critically important, collaborations between local government, churches, and the broader community. It leverages the expertise of the child welfare office, the compassion and volunteer capacity of the local church, to meet the outstanding needs of vulnerable children and families. Where there are gaps in institutional support systems, through FSFA we have seen local churches mobilized to step in and hardworking social workers celebrated and supported. FSFA is a partnership across multiple sectors of our society that together are creating a more holistic care network for the most vulnerable children and families.

-Nathan Nelson – Pastor of Mission and Outreach, Bethany Community Church, Seattle

Our Team

Maia Anderson, Co-Director FSFA

Maia is on staff at Olive Crest, and works to help churches engage service in the foster care space, she also works directly with foster families in a number of ways during their fostering journey. Maia is connected to foster care personally as well, her family has fostered a total of 41 kids ranging from as short as one night to as long as 2.5 years over the past 8+ years. It has by far been the most challenging things they’ve taken on and yet has pushed them personally, as a couple and as a family to grow in their faith.

Rev. Ralph Rowland, Co-Director FSFA

Ralph is the Community Engagement Director at Olive Crest, overseeing all church/agency partnerships within the foster care space. He works directly with churches to assist them in developing thriving foster care ministries. Before coming to Olive Crest, Ralph was the Missions Pastor at Westminster Chapel and served as VP for Community Engagement at Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission. Ralph has been married for 45 years to Nina and has 4 children and 10 grandchildren.