Who We Are

An exciting Foster Care Church Initiative has rapidly emerged as churches are joining together with an unprecedented level of support from the top levels of leadership of the Arkansas DHHS’ Division of Children and Family Services.  This Christian non-profit is named The C.A.L.L. -- Children of Arkansas Loved for a Lifetime -- because of God's call on the Church: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." James 1:27.

Why did we form? There is a desperate need for more foster, adoptive and respite care homes for children in the Arkansas foster care system.For instance, there are about 7,000 children in foster care in Arkansas within a year, and there are only about 950 foster families available to care for those children!  Plus, there are over 500 children and teens available for adoption through foster care in our state. Those numbers alone are an indication that this situation is in crisis. We must find more loving homes for these hurting children.

Our Mission

To educate, equip and encourage the Christian community to provide a future and a hope for the children in foster care.

Our Vision

To have no waiting children in Arkansas foster care, but instead to have waiting, Christian families ready to take them in!

This is truly a God-sized vision. God is moving as things continue to fall into place quickly and barriers from the past have been overcome. It is nothing short of miraculous!! It is obvious that He wants these hurting children cared for…now.  As Christian families responded to "The C.A.L.L" in Pulaski County, this model is now being applied in various counties statewide across Arkansas!

The C.A.L.L. is unique because it provides the opportunity for prospective foster, adoptive, and respite care parents to go through state-approved training WITHIN a church setting. They will have an automatic “support group” as they go through training with other Christians. Plus, The C.A.L.L. will walk them through every step in the process, easing the burden on these prospective foster and adoptive parents. We have a church liaison within the state agency who will help in making sure these homes are opened in a timely manner. Then, once they have invited a child into their home, The C.A.L.L. encourages support from their local church family.

Currently, we have a coalition of representatives from more than fifty Pulaski County Christian churches of varying denominations and it is constantly growing.  The C.A.L.L. has been granted provisional 501(c)3 status as a non-profit organization, and is governed by a Board of Directors from various churches around Arkansas. Your prayers are greatly needed for this initiative -- that God will move in the hearts of His people to step out in faith and care for the hurting children in foster care. It is clear from James 1:27 that He calls us, as His followers, to reach out to them in love.

Please click a link above to find out more about how you can get involved.

The CALL Board of Directors

Treeca Dyer Cotton

CALL Board President

Attorney Ad-Litem for Children in Foster Care

Claborne Gillespie

Church Missions Pastor

Mark Leggett

CALL Board Secretary

Real Estate Agent

Adoptive Parent

Gary McGhee

President, Serv-atron CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocate) Volunteer

Jim Miles

CALL Board Treasurer

President, Covenant Medical Benefits

Past Foster and Adoptive Parent

Delyce Palik

Executive Director, CASA of Lonoke County

Larry Page

Executive Director, Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council

Past Foster and Adoptive Parent

Pat Page

Retired Director, Arkansas DHS Division of Children and Family Services

Gary Tucker

Director, The CALL of Faulkner County

Current Foster Parent

Ex-Officio Board

Alicen Bennett

Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services Liaison to The CALL

Manager, Statewide Recruitment and Retention of Foster Parents

Cecile Blucker

Director, Arkansas DHS Division of Children and Family Services

Lisa McGee

DHS Office of Chief Counsel