About BFC
Overview
Building Families for Children is a faith-based nonprofit with a mission to “help Maryland’s most vulnerable children and their families thrive by providing trauma-focused supportive services with Christ-like love and compassion.” We believe that every child deserves to grow up in a safe, nurturing family. We’ve provided services for over 100 years to make that a reality for many children in Maryland!
what we do
Every child deserves a safe, nurturing family where they can grow and thrive. We make sure children are cared for in a family setting through our two key service areas: Family Strengthening and Treatment Foster Care.
Family Strengthening
Safe Families for Children® & Therapeutic Family Services
Our Family Strengthening Services are trauma-informed early interventions designed to strengthen families and keep them intact whenever possible.
Treatment Foster Care
Children of Special and Exceptional Need (CHOSEN)
Our Treatment Foster Care program serves children after they’ve been removed from their home by a local Department of Social Services, placing them in foster families equipped to help them heal and thrive.
what we do
Every child deserves a safe, nurturing family where they can grow and thrive. We make sure children are cared for in a family setting through our two key service areas: Family Strengthening and Treatment Foster Care.
Family Strengthening
Safe Families for Children® & Therapeutic Family Services
Our Family Strengthening Services are trauma-informed early interventions designed to strengthen families and keep them intact whenever possible.
Treatment Foster Care
Children of Special and Exceptional Need (CHOSEN)
Our Treatment Foster Care program serves children after they’ve been removed from their home by a local Department of Social Services, placing them in foster families equipped to help them heal and thrive.
values
Christ Centeredness
As a faith-based agency, we demonstrate Christ’s love to all we serve through Christ-centered families, our church partners that make up the body of Christ, and our role to serve as Christ’s ambassadors of the Gospel. Our Statement of our Faith provides the biblical context and foundation from which volunteers, staff, and the Board of Trustees work.
Family Focused
The focus of our help, primarily, is on the family unit rather than the individual child or any one family member. We believe that the best opportunity for long-term healing, growth, and development occurs in the context of the family. When an individual’s family is not involved or accessible, we strive to create a family-like environment for that individual. Each family’s perspective is important to elicit as each family is unique and we believe that each family deserves to have a voice that is important to understand to serve individual members and the whole family.
Stewardship
Recognizing the value of all that God has entrusted us with, we work diligently to use our resources wisely. We are committed to accountability and sustainability in our daily operations and decision-making processes. Ultimately, we seek to glorify Him in the administration of our financial and human resources as well as in safeguarding the lives of those we serve.
Innovative, Evidence-Based Practices
We strive to implement programs and services that are innovative in achieving our mission and desired outcomes and to use evidence-based practices when possible. We will remain open to better understanding the communities in which we serve and develop services to fill gaps where most needed to help Maryland’s most vulnerable children and families. To raise the quality of our services, we establish baseline outcome metrics centered on the definition of a thriving child and family. Safety, Permanency, and Well-Being will be at the core of what we hope to achieve.
Partnerships
Churches, service providers, and community partners are invaluable to our organization and we recognize that each brings their unique strengths that support the families and children we serve. Through our informal and formal collaborative partnerships, we can support growth and development, and provide each of our families with an integrated approach to stabilize and move forward in life and society. We believe that we must share our time, skills, and resources to strengthen our communities to care for one another. Building Families, in conjunction with our partners, provides the referrals, volunteers, therapeutic support, and financial resources to support our families with the eternal focus of Christ’s love.
Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion
We value a diverse, equitable, and inclusive setting that promotes a safe and healthy community for staff, volunteers, board members, and those we serve. By valuing Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in our work, we are more effective in engaging and serving people across different cultures, backgrounds, strengths, and abilities. In addition, we prioritize open dialogue and equal representation for all families, children, and employees. The contributions and perspectives of each individual and family are valuable and will be received with an open mind, compassion, and respect in the spirit of Christ’s love.
accreditations & associations
Building Families is accreddited through the Maryland Nonprofits Standards for Excellence, established to promote the highest standards of ethics, effectiveness, and accountability in nonprofit governance, management, and operations. We are proud to be associated with each of the following groups.
accreditations & associations
Building Families is accredited through the Maryland Nonprofits Standards for Excellence, established to promote the highest standards of ethics, effectiveness, and accountability in nonprofit governance, management, and operations. We are proud to be associated with each of the following groups.