Safe Families MWV

Refer a Family

Refer a Child or Family 

If you are aware of a child or family that would benefit from the Safe Families for Children program, we are eager to partner with you. Simply get in touch with us by filling out the confidential request form below, and a local SFFC representative will get back to you within 1-3 business days.

For an urgent need simply contact us by phone at (503) 906-1027 and we will return your message as soon as we are able.

See Referral Guidelines >

Guidelines for Safety

With Safe Families for Children (SFFC) you can be confident that:

    • Biological Parents maintain full custody.
    • Volunteer families are extensively screened and supported.
    • Host Families support by watching children overnight anywhere from a couple of days to several months as needed.
    • SFFC encourages open communication and relationships between the Host Family and parents whenever possible. 
    • SFFC is committed to reuniting the family as soon as possible. 
    • Support is provided free of charge and volunteers are not compensated. 

    Success Stories

    Family Friend

    Cassie moved from Washington State to a residential recovery program for women and children in Portland with no family or friends in the area to support her. When told about the support offered through Safe Families to help her get through the intense, year-long program, she was weary and felt worried about connecting with someone she didn’t know. She eventually was open to the idea and had the courage to meet with Laurie, a Family Friend, who wanted to get to know her and her 3-year-old daughter, Ellie. Laurie and Cassie quickly connected over their mutual love for running and planned to meet up every other Monday afternoon to go for a walk, to the park, or to have dinner together.

    Over time, Cassie expressed how “Laurie is the kindest person I know” and how much she enjoyed getting together. With built trust, Laurie has helped watch Ellie for a couple of hours to give Cassie a break to rest or focus on her program homework. Laurie showed up to watch Ellie so Cassie could run the marathon she had been training for. Laurie and Ellie stood on the sidelines cheering her on! Through this relationship, Cassie was more willing to trust another Host Family to watch Ellie overnight so she could get a longer break. Cassie graduated from the program and she feels encouraged to have a team of people on her side!

    Day Hosting

    Safe Families received a call from a victim’s advocate who shared about a young single mom, Daniela. The worker explained that Daniela had to testify the next day in court against someone who had harmed her. Daniela and her three-month-old, Leo, had taken a bus for 4 hours from a small town in Central Oregon to get to the courthouse for the trial. Daniela was unable to take her baby into the courtroom and had no family or friends nearby to help; so a Family Friend, Judith, agreed to meet the family at the courthouse and hold the baby while Daniella testified. For a few hours each day, Daniella could rest assured that her baby was safe and cared for, just a few rooms away. Without Judith, this mom would not have been able to testify and resolve her safety concerns.

    Overnight Hosting

    “I don’t know what I would have done…my only other option would have been to give my baby to foster care.” We received a phone call from a nurse one late afternoon. She was sitting with Brittany who had no safe family or friends to watch her 7-month-old baby boy, Owen so she could take care of her outstanding warrant. This mom was looking at the real possibility of having her son go into foster care or be held back in her goal of getting an apartment. Brittany heard about Safe Families through the community and was willing to trust a Host Family with her baby until she was released from jail. 

    Chelsea and Bobby, a Host Family, heard of the need for this baby and jumped in to help. A week and a half later, Brittany was beaming as she was reunited with her baby and taking the next steps to move into her new apartment. She recounted her experience as being extremely hard to trust a stranger with her baby, but how beyond grateful she was for Chelsea and Bobby’s encouragement and reassurance along the way. She described her experience as “they built a little community around me”. This is what a family preservation movement looks like!”

    Refer a Family Today

    Get in touch with us at the link below. We’d love to talk!