Additional Resources
Check out our resource page, compiled to help you during the pandemic.
“When I started attending the support group I went back because I felt like I wasn’t alone, or just a bad parent. How I described my son’s behavior, they really understood because they had been there, too. They got that his behavior was different and needed different strategies for dealing with it.”
Our Support Groups provide adoptive, foster, and kinship parents a place to connect with one another. Each support group opens with a time of sharing, continues with a piece of curriculum, and ends with a group discussion on the curriculum concepts. The goal is for each parent to leave feeling heard, connected to other caregivers who understand, and have a sense of hope and direction for the future. We hope you will find a home at one of our in person or virtual Support Groups. (See all 7 in person locations and 4 virtual options.)
Weekly Virtual Support Group
Time: 3:30pm to 5:00pm
Date: Every Sunday Afternoon
(except holiday weekends)
IN PERSON LOCATIONS: Trauma-Informed Support Groups
Palo Alto
Date/Time: second Thursday of every month from 5:30 to 7:00 PM
**Group does not meet in December or June-August during summer months**
**Location: Peninsula Bible Church, 3505 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Come and meet with other adoptive, foster, and kinship parents who are walking the same parenting path as you. There will be time for sharing as well as time for learning trauma-informed parenting skills that will help you in your day to day life with your child.
A potluck dinner will hopefully restart soon in the first 30 minutes, but currently bring your own meal as a way for parents, kids, and volunteers to connect with one another and build community. After dinner, the kids and volunteers move to the childcare room. Childcare is available by RSVP only. Fill out this form by Monday at 5 PM the week of the meeting to reserve childcare and to let us know which adults are joining. Sign up for the email list below to receive a monthly email with the details of the upcoming meeting.
If you have any questions about this support group, please send an email to paloalto@helponechild.org.
Subscribe to the Palo Alto Support Group Email List
Los Gatos (This group aims to restart meetings in person September 2022)
Date/Time: second Thursday of every month from 6:30 to 8:30 PM
*Group does not meet in December.
Location: Calvary Church, 16330 Los Gatos Blvd, Los Gatos, CA 95032
Calvary Church provides dinner for this support group as a way to encourage the growth of this community of adoptive, foster, and kinship parents along with their children, and our wonderful childcare volunteers. Everyone enjoys eating together from 6:30-7:00, then the children join the volunteers in childcare while the parents meet from 7:00-8:30. Childcare is available by RSVP only. Fill out this form by Monday at 5 PM the week of the meeting to reserve childcare. Sign up for the email list below to receive a monthly email with details about the upcoming meeting. If you have any questions about this support group, please contact Alice at losgatos@helponechild.
The support group starts with a time of sharing, then moves into a time of learning a trauma-informed parenting skill, and concludes with a group discussion of what this skill would look like applied to daily life.
The goal is for each parent to leave feeling heard, connected to other parents who understand them, and having a sense of hope for the future. We hope you can join us!
Group meets in Parkside 3. Click here to see the campus map.
Subscribe to the Los Gatos Support Group Email List
Redwood City
Date/Time: third Sunday of every month from 5:00-6:30 pm
**This group does not meet in December or June-August summer months.**
Location: Peninsula Covenant Church, 3560 Farm Hill Blvd, Redwood City, CA 94061
In partnership with Peninsula Covenant Church (PCC), we have a Redwood City group! PCC has a big heart for children from hard places and their families. We hope you can come and connect with this vibrant community!
Come and meet with other adoptive, foster, and kinship parents who are walking the same parenting path as you. There will be time for sharing as well as time for learning trauma-informed parenting skills that will help you in your day to day life with your child.
Dinner will be provided and children eat in childcare. Parents eat during the support group meeting. Adults and children need to register; childcare is available by RSVP only. Please fill out this form by the prior Wednesday at 5PM the week of the meeting to rsvp for childcare AND all adults attending so we have accurate rsvps for dinner dinner count, too.
Sign up for the email list below to receive a monthly email with the details of the upcoming meeting. If you have any questions about this support group, please send an email to Cristin at redwoodcity@helponechild.org.
Subscribe to the Redwood City Support Group Email List
Walnut Creek
Meets monthly on the second Monday 6:30-7:30 pm
**This group does not meet June-August and breaks for summer months**
Location: Hillside Covenant Church
In partnership with Hillside Covenant and Cornerstone Fellowship Churches, we are so excited to have a support group in Walnut Creek! We hope you can come and connect with this vibrant community!
Come and meet with other adoptive, foster, and kinship parents who are walking the same parenting path as you. There will be time for learning trauma-informed parenting skills that will help you in your day to day life with your child, as well as time for group discussion.
Dinner and childcare will graciously be provided.
Please fill out this form by Thursday, 5PM the week prior to the meeting to RSVP.
Sign up for the email list below to receive a monthly email with the details of each upcoming meeting along with the RSVP link. Send an Email to Claudia or The Village Contact walnutcreek@helponechild.org if you have any questions about this support group.
Subscribe to the Walnut Creek Support Group Email List
San Jose
Location: Westgate Church 1735 Saratoga Avenue San Jose, California 95129
This group is focused on fostering and adopting through the foster care system!
This group meets every other Sunday from 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm and follows a Life Group curriculum with Westgate Church.
Typically the first 15-30 minutes are a devotional/video and then about 30-45 minutes sharing prayer requests and praying for each other. The group is recruiting 1-2 additional foster or foster/adoptive families who are committed to attend regularly and form community! This group’s focus is building deeper relationships, plus supporting and praying for each other.
Want more information on how to join this group? Email Cristin@helponechild.org to get connected and explore joining.
San Francisco (Formerly San Bruno)
Date/Time: first Sunday of every month from 4:00-5:30 pm
**Group does not meet in December.**
Location: New North Church,
Come and meet with other adoptive, foster, and kinship parents who are walking the same parenting path as you. There will be time for sharing as well as time for learning trauma-informed parenting skills that will help you in your day to day life with your child.
All adults and children in childcare attending need to register in advance. Childcare is available by RSVP only. Fill out this form to register by Wednesday, 5 PM the week of the meeting to reserve childcare. Sign up for the email list below to receive a monthly email with the details of the upcoming meeting. If you have any questions about this support group, please send an email to Lois and Walter at sanbruno@helponechild.org.
Subscribe to the San Bruno Support group email list
Morgan Hill (This group aims to restart September 2022)
Date/Time: TBD when group resumes (previously on the third Monday of every month from 6:30 to 8:30 PM)
Location: Morgan Hill Bible Church
Come and meet with other adoptive, foster, and kinship parents who are walking the same parenting path as you. There will be time for sharing as well as time for learning trauma-informed parenting skills that will help you in your day to day life with your child.
Childcare is available by RSVP only. Fill out this form by Thursday, 5 PM the week prior to the meeting to reserve childcare. Sign up for the email list below to receive a monthly email with the details of the upcoming meeting. If you have any questions about this support group, send an email to the Lead team at morganhill@helponechild.
Subscribe to the Morgan Hill Support Group Email List
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New Locations
Date/Time: once a month, same day, same time
Location: Local Host Church
Do you wish there was a support group in your neighborhood? Contact us (Cristin
@HelpOneChild.org) to find out how to make this happen for yourself and other adoptive, foster, and kinship families in your community. Our vision is to have a support group in region in the bay area to ensure the necessary support of walking with others on this journey. We’d love for you and your church to partner with us as we work to provide this important resource to families in their local communities.
New Locations
Date/Time: once a month, same day, same time
Location: Local Host Church
Do you wish there was a support group in your neighborhood? Contact us (Cristin
@HelpOneChild.org) to find out how to make this happen for yourself and other adoptive, foster, and kinship families in your community. Our vision is to have a support group in region in the bay area to ensure the necessary support of walking with others on this journey. We’d love for you and your church to partner with us as we work to provide this important resource to families in their local communities.
Lead Teams
Each Support Group is run by a Lead Team of adoptive, foster, and kinship parents just like you! If you are interested in being a part of one of these teams, check out the details below.
Our Support Groups run best when there is a healthy Lead Team of three families. We ask that couples join the Lead Team together when possible. This is to ensure there is a balance of moms and dads in our Support Groups. We strongly believe that the whole family needs connection and support, best model this by our leadership team! Ideally, each person on the Lead Team would be in charge of at least one of the following roles.
- Leader- Leads entire Lead Team as they run the Support Group together.
- Facilitator – Facilitates the Support Group meeting, including sharing, presenting curriculum, and discussing.
- Attendance/Welcoming – Takes attendance for parents, kids, and volunteers. Make sure everyone has name tags and feels welcome.
- Childcare Team Lead – Track RSVPs, schedule volunteers, manage Childcare Team.
- Dinner – Track potluck signups (if your group has a potluck). Make sure water, cups, plates, napkins, and utensils are out.
- Facilities – Arrange room reservations for the year, check room set up day-of has enough tables and chairs.
- Tech – Some Facilitators find it helpful to have someone set up and run the video clip.
If you have questions about our Lead Teams or are interested in applying to join one, send an email to cristin@helponechild.org. (Our Trauma-Informed Support Groups are open to any foster, adoptive or kinship parent or caregivers. A statement of faith is asked of the of our Lead Team Members, but not of participants.)
Help One Child is a faith-based, non-profit organization serving families of at-risk youth impacted by foster care or adoption. We serve ANY family in these demographics without regard to race, creed, religious preference, etc. Help One Child does not screen for or endorse opinions of invited speakers, educational materials, blog articles, podcast interviews, support group curriculum or resources and referrals. Inclusion of resources does not equal an endorsement of another organization, individual or content.
“I am so grateful for the leadership (as well as friendship!!) of our support group leader. I also appreciate the intentional effort that is put into bringing speakers to the meetings to encourage, educate, and equip us to be better parents!!”
“I am so thankful for the teaching tools such as workbooks and videos at our support group. They have been eye opening and life changing. The knowledge and guidance of our leader is encouraging and supportive. Also, my five kids love going and connecting with the friends they have made. We’ve had the wonderful opportunity to get to know some very special families.”
“The thing I appreciate most from attending one of Help One Child’s Support Groups is the peer support!! Hearing other parents share that they get it and they REALLY have experienced the same craziness (not just normal development stuff parents of typical children are familiar with). The teaching is also excellent and I’ve learned so many great things over the years.”